# Horror & high adventure! Read 'Gods of the Sand'



## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

Amazon Link to Gods of the Sand







*Gods of the Sand*

Action/Adventure/Horror

In the 1920's a famous American university hired an ex-soldier turned adventurer and his men to lead them across the burning Egyptian desert to find an ancient, lost outpost. The university members expected to find rare artifacts and other important, historical items for their papers and museums...the ex-soldier and his band expected to find great treasure.

In the end they'd 'both' find what they were looking for, though perhaps not the way they had hoped to find it...

You'll find exciting high adventure and swashbuckling action in this book, along with the horror and fright of the unknown and supernatural. Throw in a small dash of romance mixed with a large cup of cold blooded treachery and this story should keep you entertained from start to finish!



Amazon Link to Gods of the Sand​


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## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

Is this a full-length novel or a short story?


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

sharyn said:


> Is this a full-length novel or a short story?


The Product Description at the Amazon link says short story.


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## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

sharyn said:


> Is this a full-length novel or a short story?


Yes, "I" consider it a short story and thus stated that on the description page, although I've had several people comment that it is "much" to long for a normal short story. Length-wise, it has (and many others that I write) been compared to several of Louis L'Amour's "shorter" books. That's their opinion. Since I consider it a short, that's how I list it.

You know...this is the first place I've been where the "length" of the story even makes any difference (or apparent difference.) For the price of a coke out of a vending machine or a giant-sized candy bar surely anywhere from .99 CENTS to 1.49 isn't a large amount for a quality, high adventure story. And certainly anyone that enjoys reading "any" story wouldn't (or shouldn't) care how long or short it is...if it's a fair and entertaining tale. That's my way of thinking anyway.

I strive to entertain with my tall tales of action and high adventure...I seldom count pages while doing so.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

I've been holding back from posting about the whole price/lenght issue again, but let me offer this thought.  You mention the cost of a Coke at vending machine, or a chocolate bar.  Well, in that vein, I'd rather walk across the street and get a 2 liter of Coke for 1.99 rather than spending 99 cents for 20 ounces.  So, in terms of short stories, I'll pay 7 dollars for 16 of them in one collection rather than 1.49 for a single story.  I think a lot of people would rather buy a collection of stories in one fell swoop rather than one at a time.  It just isn't really efficient to purchase singles, since there is no good way to organize things on the kindle, and each one will take up it's own line and make it seem like I have more to read than I really do.

Just my thoughts, and I wish you the best, but if you wish to reach a wider audience, those are my ideas.


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Some short stories have not provided nearly as much entertainment as some extra-large candy bars of my acquaintance.


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

I do wish you all the luck.

Perhaps, if your story is that long, it is actually a novella?? 

I have purchased a few novellas that are well worth the $.99.


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## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

scarlet said:


> So, in terms of short stories, I'll pay 7 dollars for 16 of them in one collection rather than 1.49 for a single story. I think a lot of people would rather buy a collection of stories in one fell swoop rather than one at a time. It just isn't really efficient to purchase singles, since there is no good way to organize things on the kindle, and each one will take up it's own line and make it seem like I have more to read than I really do.
> 
> Just my thoughts, and I wish you the best, but if you wish to reach a wider audience, those are my ideas.


That would be quite a bargin for "16" of my stories as that would be roughly "three" novels worth or more of normal sized books. And while I agree being thifty and getting a bargin is certainly sensible and great...that would be a bit "too" thrifty and a bit "too" much of a bargin for an author's part of it, or at least for me. I certainly want my own stories to be priced sensibly and correctly and have a good value (bang for the buck) but on the other hand a "fair" price *IS* a "fair" price. Wouldn't you agree?

As to being efficent...that is certainly also a good thing. However, I was under the assumption that the idea here was to read and "enjoy" a good story...with tidy efficency being WAY below the entertainment part of the consideration. Besides, on my Kindle I am able to read and erase...yet forever maintain the story via Amazon's Kindle online backup in my purchased library...so really, for myself, organizing "purchased" stories is no real problem. As I can "re-down load" them in the blink of an eye...again, I have no problem with saving them for any long length of time. But again that's just me, and I can certainly appreciate that "you" might feel differently.

You've stated your opinion and I can appreciate that and thank you for it...even though your statement wasn't about my story, per say (which is what this "author" thread is about anyway) but rather about the "length" of (apparently) ALL short stories. But regardless of that, "my" opinion is that if you aren't reading short stories, no matter your reason or reasons...at least on occasion---you are missing some of the most interesting, captivating, and thought provoking tales that have ever been written. Not talking about my tales, per say...but "ANY" short story writer. Please keep in mind that often times, almost any good short story writer can do in a handful of pages what a "novel" writer does in five hundred. In other words "more" story is not always better just as "less" story is not always worse. And as a writer...and an author, I would hate to think that length OR efficency...got in the way of me (or anyone else) enjoying a nice tale. Any good and entertaining story, regardless of its length, is a little jewel to me...not purchased but merely "borrowed" from the author's mind (I only pay to read them---not "own" them) and I remember and treasure them as I would any real jewel of high value, regardless of what I paid for it.

Anyway, as this thread is about "God's of the Sand" and certainly NO place to conjure up MY opinions on other authors, other books, the length or non-length of stories in general, their costs, and or the attributes or shortcomings of Kindle and its book storing software, I'll stop here and perhaps continue this elsewhere where it "is" more appropriate.

Again, I thank you (and everybody else) for their comments (about the book) and certainly hope that "if you do" read it, you will be entertained and feel that you got your money's worth despite its size, or lack there of. I also appreciate any well wishes thrown my way. God knows I can always use 'em!



Salute to ALL writers and ALL readers of Kindle books and in general ALL book authors and readers everywhere! Books make the world go round! Read one (or a dozen) today!


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## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

Geez...I only asked whether it was a novel or a short story!  There was no criticism implied in my question at all.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

You can always look at the number of KB in the description to get an idea of the length of whatever you are considering purchasing.  Personally, I think the short story is going to see a resurgence in popularity because of the Kindle.  
That said, off to download the sample!


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## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

sharyn said:


> Geez...I only asked whether it was a novel or a short story! There was no criticism implied in my question at all.


*Acknowledged! And no hard feelings nor harm done by your post!*

My comments to your post were not actually directed at you but at the seemingly "directive" and "selective" feelings that apparently abound here that for some reason...short stories have no meat to them nor are worth the miserly prices asked for them. (Again, you didn't say that...so I have no beef with your comment but just wanted to point out that (in MY opinion) nothing could be further from the truth.

Other's were "waiting" (apparently) to express their own opinion (s) on the price/length matter---*not to ask a question about "my" book nor to make comments after reading it.*

Too enlighten you as to why I commented as I did...I have been warned thru private messenger that short stories were NOT appreciated here, and that if I wished to be read, I should only publish huge collections or novels. I resist this...as the sale of my books (short or longish) have been quite brisk (so obviously "somebody" reads them and or shorts in general) and besides, when I came here I did "not" see a *NOVEL LENGTH ONLY* sign at the top of the Kindle forum here, thus was convinced that this board was open to *ALL* writers.

Anyway, after getting such an unsolicited PM, you can imagine my feeling on the matter.

Again, I have no truck with you and certainly I appreciate your question and or questions about the book. Thank you for the interest in Gods of the Sand.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Lynn Bullman said:


> I have been warned thru private messenger that short stories were NOT appreciated here, and that if I wished to be read, I should only publish huge collections or novels.


This is absolutely NOT true. We do not discriminate against _any_ types of works. I am appalled that someone would have said such a thing, and I'm certain a majority of our members feel the same way.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

My guess would be is that most of us here *prefer* long works versus short works, but outright discrimination has nothing to do with it. We're readers....we like to read. We like plots, we like characters, we like depth, we like curling up with our Kindles and diving into a long story.  Some short works provide plots, characters and depth even in their shortness....but it's rare to find those that truly satisfy as much as longer works do. Again, nothing discriminatory about it, just the nature of the beast and what you have to work with.

Because of this, the perception by our authors here may be that we don't like or appreciate short stories. I'm not sure that's the appropriate way to describe it, it's just that they may not fare as well as longer works. Just the way of the world, with no hard feelings intended, I'm sure...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Lynn,

as I said in another thread about short stories, I don't read them much, never have, which I'm sure is a lacking on my part as they are a well regarded form. I don't read much poetry either; again, that's my issue, nothing wrong with poetry. 

That being said, I think $0.99 is not too much to pay for a well crafted short story and I did pay that for a short story by an author I wanted to try out (and there was no sample as his full length books were not on Kindle yet.)

And I am surprised that a member would PM that to you. I assure you, he or she was not speaking for all of KindleBoards.

In the long run, you have to follow your muse and do what works for you. Speaking as a textile artist...

Betsy


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> In the long run, you have to follow your muse and do what works for you. Speaking as a textile artist...
> 
> Betsy


Gonna start making short quilts?


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> And I am surprised that a member would PM that to you. I assure you, he or she was not speaking for all of KindleBoards.


This surprises me, too. I can't even fathom it. You are not the first person to publish a short story & announce it here, nor will you be the last.

I got denounced for publishing my blog in other places, but welcomed with open arms here.

Perhaps the person was just speaking for him or herself and did not mean you weren't welcome to post? Is it a possible misunderstanding?


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## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

If you folks were surprised about such a PM imagine my own startlement and surprise...as this came entirely unsolicitied from an entirely unknown person (I had only just posted up about my second book) and hadn't been on here long enough to actually know more than a handful of people!



But no, Red... it was not just said in a way that sounded personally inclusive to them (except maybe the NO meat statement) and them alone but rather the way it was put to me was that my short tales weren't appreciated here by this audience...and that they wouldn't even be considered due to everyone here ONLY wanting to know about novels and or larger collections. In other words a waste of my time... pretty blunt and to the point.

I was upset...and for awhile over the odd missive...more or less feeling VERY unwelcome...until I talked it through with a one of the older hands here (Thank You Miss Dona!  ) and she pretty much set me straight about being both welcome...and appreciated. On top of that she even bought one of my stories and after reading it assured me that she liked it and appreciated it. *What a "nice" thing to do!*

So I am fine now...but you might imagine a "tad" touchy over the subject. LOL!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Lynn,
I got reamed by a reader who expected one of my works to be a full length novel. (Also by a PM)  Now I add a "- A Short Story" onto the end of the title, so prospective readers are aware it is not a full length piece. Not to say you or anyone else should do this, but that is how I decided to deal with it.  I also put "The End" at the end of the piece, so readers would understand that, no, there is no more.  Fini!  
In fact, Amazon removed the piece after the complaint, I s'pose they thought there was an uploading error.  So I republished with the "- A Short Story" on the title.  They have just this week put that original piece back on, so now there are 2 versions!  One with "the End" and one without!

The whole thing upset me for awhile, but until I read this post, I had forgotten about the whole thing!   Sorry I'm so chatty!!!


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## Lynn Bullman (Aug 16, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Lynn,
> I got reamed by a reader who expected one of my works to be a full length novel. (Also by a PM) Now I add a "- A Short Story" onto the end of the title, so prospective readers are aware it is not a full length piece. Not to say you or anyone else should do this, but that is how I decided to deal with it. I also put "The End" at the end of the piece, so readers would understand that, no, there is no more. Fini!
> In fact, Amazon removed the piece after the complaint, I s'pose they thought there was an uploading error. So I republished with the "- A Short Story" on the title. They have just this week put that original piece back on, so now there are 2 versions! One with "the End" and one without!
> 
> The whole thing upset me for awhile, but until I read this post, I had forgotten about the whole thing!  Sorry I'm so chatty!!!


No problem about you being chatty!  And thanks for telling me that you got hit with the NO MEAT PM too! That does make me feel better knowing I wasn't the only one. But actually ALL of my stories have the "short story" addition remark to them on Amazon. And have had since I posted them...it's in plain sight and if anyone doesn't SEE them then they are NOT looking! What else can we do? (Shrugs)


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Agreed, Lynn.  You know, you can lead a horse to water, .........


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> Gonna start making short quilts?


Already do. The last one was 18" long. Only suitable for a garden gnome bed. 

Betsy


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## misterwilson (Aug 11, 2009)

to get back to the story here, i have read this one.  it's a good and solid read and has plenty of action mixed with the creepy horror mood of an old Friday Night fright flick.  in fact without being anywhere near the same, i felt as if i was back as a kid and watching the Mummy for the first time even though this story has nothing to do with a mummy!  the characters are crisp and believeable and the terrain of the burning hot Egyptian desert is easily see-able.  the plot moves along well with plenty of suspense tinged with a growing anticipation of soon to come horror and when it comes it's plenty scary.  naturally when there is fortune to be had there is going to be back stabbing involved and it's here too which sets the story up for its creepy surprise ending.  i wouldn't mind seeing a sequal or follow on story here to take it to the next level.

i don't know what all the fuss over length is for this story is plenty long enough to satisfy.  and the price for me was well worth the read.  i've read three of this author's stories so far and enjoyed them all and will buy more as i am able.  i've got to say though that my personal fave was the Wolf story.  i would dearly love to see a sequal on that one!


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