Grim title, but my work is anything but as I'm sure you will figure out after reading just a snippet. Hello! Matt here. I've been a member since November (ooh a rhyme) but haven't posted anything here because... well, i'm not really sure why not but I know I mainly joined here for the directory and Jobs and Opps section. Anyway, I've decided to post a little bit of work, the first chapter of my completed novel 'Improved by Death' a comic fantasy much in the style of Terry Pratchett (when he was good) and Douglas Adams (when he was alive) but with vampires and werewolves. Grrrr! :F That's my vampire smiley. Note how the use of the F creates the appearance of fangs :F

Anyhoo, I'd completed it years ago and sent it to many agents and more recently, many publishers but nobody has decided to back it yet and I'm getting so tired I may even consider self-publishing as at least then I'll feel like I'm doing something. I think this is because my work is very different and hard to categorise. It covers many genres (fantasy, supernatural, horror, comedy) and the style is quite wild, if I do say so my self, with some pretty out there characters. I don't think its the quality of writing that's holding me back. It was bad, but I've revised and revised and taken classes and put my work up for critique on another site - which vastly increased my skill and triggered another revision of the novel, and also got me a nice little fanbase - all of which has now made the novel into its current state which is, I think, as good as it can be, but I'm still unable to find backing.

If you want to take some time to read through the first chapter which I have posted here and give me an opinion, no matter how harsh or gentle, it would be appreciatted. Cheers.