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looking for science fantasy novel/series coauthor

djutmose

Dreamer
I am a fairly successful indie fantasy and science fiction author who’s published a number of novels. I write for extra income as well as for creative expression. I don’t want to seem self-promoting, but my ebooks are published under my pen name Dean Chalmers and are available on Amazon.

I used to collaborate on projects a long time ago, and I miss it. I hate being in a project alone, even though I’ve done that a bunch of times. I’m motivated by the synergy of working with someone else, and the accountability of wanting to generate new work to show them and discuss with them. I have some basic character ideas, but I'm looking for someone to bring their own ideas and help to round out the cast with interesting people. Being stuck in my own head gets dull and depressing after a while.

What I’m looking for… and I realize it is a long, long shot… Is a responsible and energetic writer (18 or older) who would want to collaborate with me on a series. The books would be published under a single pen name, and the “author” would have a website, etc… Although we’d be free to tell anyone we want who “Author X” really is. The reason for this is that readers are distrustful of multiple author books and believe a sole creator has more focus and vision or whatever. It’s a marketing thing, basically. The one example that comes to mind for me is when authors James Luceno and Brian Daley wrote Robotech novelizations together under the pseudonym of Jack McKinney.

The books would be published as ebooks exclusive to Amazon, possibly paperbacks and audio as well (I have an agent who can market subsidiary rights including audio). We would split royalties 50/50 but I would be responsible for paying for promotions and cover art in exchange for having final approval on these as well as the work itself. Obviously there would be a lot of other business details to work out.

I’m looking at someone who likes the idea of mixing SF and high fantasy in an adventure series, who is skilled at writing description (I prefer dialogue). I can bring to the table my writing experience and skill in planning and completing projects, and my marketing skill and contacts. I’m looking for someone who can write and critique fairly fast. The problem with the indie book world is that without frequent releases in a series, you lose visibility on Amazon.

OK for the idea itself… My concept is that the heroes are heirs to an order of knights with powers to channel primal magic. The nature of the magic is such that it is pure life energy/raw emotional potential… Powerful enough to kill or drive mad most people.

Specifically, too powerful for normal people to handle. Our heroes are loners and misfits who have to learn to channel the energy and the power and emotional awakening/turmoil it brings.

But mostly I want it to be a kick *ass adventure series. A science fantasy serial, open-ended. Something like Star Wars meets Warcraft or LOTR… Big and bombastic and colorful with iconic characters you could easily imagine as action figures. A heavy metal high fantasy space opera. Swords and magic, but also starships controlled by magic which travel through the astral plane instead of “hyperspace.” This type of genre mash-up has rarely been tried, though the lack of successful examples is due to, in my opinion, the mediocre execution of the projects in which it has been attempted.
(The one notable exception is a certain British mega-franchise centered around a strategic miniatures games featuring space marines with giant shoulder pads---and I plan on staying far away from their heavily trademarked and copyrighted approach and style).

The story will center around a group of characters who meet during or shortly after a major battle where the forces of the dark powers devastate a planet and, in the process, the last of the old elite good guy Knight dudes sacrifices himself. His potent and volatile sword ends up in the hands of an unlikely outcast hero… Who must gather allies, find a functioning ship, get off the planet and head out to rediscover the legacy of the knights.

The proposed collaboration process is fraught with perils. In presenting this project I realize I might sound arrogant and controlling or delusional. I’m pretty confident I’m not delusional, at least. But I know that finding someone suitable who would want to work under these terms might be impossible. But I thought I’d try.

Anyway, am I allowed to put my email here? It’s
[email protected]
if anyone is interested or has questions, thanks.---Dean
 
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