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August 25 Life perspectivesI am continually reminded about how lucky I am. Really.
Okay, not just lucky. I've made some successful choices, and I've sacrificed a few things to be where I am: financially stable, doing a job I like (technical writing), having an avocation (fiction writing) that I LOVE, a spouse who supports my efforts, and a family who is proud of me.
Most especially I'm happy about my health. I've committed myself to excercising as much as I can, I try to eat right, etc. In short: I'm doing the best I know how. Yes, I could get more aggressive about losing that pesky 20 pounds I gained when I quit smoking years ago, but hey, I'm not giving up my one ice cream splurge a week. If that means I keep the weight on, so be it.
Why these deep thoughts on a Monday? I went to the State Fair over the weekend and had a chance to view an amazing cross-section of humanity. I also got email from a friend who's battling stage 4 cancer. All combined to remind me: This is Life. It's not a Rehearsal. Enjoy it while you can -- you may become disabled, or worse. Do what you love and enjoy your life ... this is your time and use it well.
August 18 Success: how to define it?Someone suggested that my tagline for my latest book ("Undercover FBI agent vs. Midwest Mom: Mom wins") would be a great idea for a movie -- of course, I'm not sure about that. My books are a bit unconventional to say the least, so I'm not sure Hollywood is ready for older heroes and heroines in a tiny town in the Midwest who battle treason and suspicion. This person suggested I have my agent shop the movie rights. Ha! I don't have an agent. I've never even looked for an agent. I considered it once, but haven't bothered. I'm selling plenty of books without one, so .... I wonder if I should be pursuing more success, though. I'm comfortable with my publishers -- all small press, all supportive, and all with editors I appreciate (and who appreciate me). Should I dip my toe back in the Query Letter water and seek out a bigger publisher or a bigger audience? Or be happy to be where I am? Questions, questions, for a Monday .... I think I'll put them on my To Do list and consider them later. Right now I have a new release to promote and another book to write.
August 11 Another release !!!This is my third release this year. One more to go, and I'llbe done for the year for new releases. All that will remain are the print releases of previously released books.
It's an exhausting process, but not as much as it used to be. I'm getting to be an old hand at this now, or so I think. I no longer pop onto every loop and post excerpts, I don't blog constantly about the new book, and I don't get into that frenzied BUY BUY BUY mentality. I'm in this for the long haul and the fact that I write for small press means my books are always available. There's no such thing as 'a second print run'.
I'm finding I like being an e-author. I don't have the concerns or qualms other authors have. My editors love my work, I can write as much or as little as I want, and sales aren't an indicator of whether I'll get another contract. It's pretty low stress, really.
Maybe I've finally found my niche? We'll see. This is only my second year in the business, and I'm sure I've still got a TON to learn.
Here's the obligatory release info:
Brilliant Disguise, available from Resplendence Publishing (http://www.resplendencepublishing.com). I don't have the direct buy link yet but I'll post it soon.
Here's the blurb:
Nick Baxter, an undercover FBI agent, thinks his BRILLIANT DISGUISE will fool the hicks in New Providence, Iowa. They won't suspect he's there investigating widow Shannon Delgardie, under suspicion of treason. What Nick doesn't know is that everybody in town is conspiring to protect her and investigate him in return.
Shannon needs help. The men her late husband blackmailed are closing in and the FBI might be involved. When Nick approaches her, can she trust him? With the aid of computer hackers and hair stylists, she uncovers the truth, finding a love she never expected in a tiny Iowa town.
Fun book -- hope you enjoy it! July 28 How do you handle writing ... which isn't just writing?I'm thinking, once again, about promotion. The "P" word is one that has haunted me since I started selling books. I really dislike promotions. I dislike thinking about it, analyzing it, and trying to figure out what to do. It's like a big black cloud hanging over my head.
I realize I have to do promotions in order to get people to read my books. I'm not with a big publisher and thus, most of the promotion stuff lands on me. I'm not griping about that -- my publishers are all great and I'm pleased with the final product for the most part. But I just wish I could hand off the promotion to someone else.
The problem is, I write e-books that come out in print a few months later. That means I have to do 2 rounds of promo for a book and 2 different types of promo to 2 different audiences. And because I'm with a small press, my books are ALWAYS available. A year, two, three years from now-- you can still buy my books. So I'm doing promo for my back list as well as for the recent release. When you release 4 books a year like I do, it gets ... tedious.
I'm toying with the idea of hiring someone to help me with promotion. I don't want someone to do drive-by promo on assorted loops, etc. I'd like someone to help me figure out how to DO promo. I've taken assorted online workshops about to become a promo guru myself, but that's not what I'm looking for. I need someone to take the responsibilty and say, "you should be doing this here and now" or "I'll do this for you, send me X and I'll make sure it gets to the right people."
Note I said 'toying' with the idea. I'm not sure (1) such a group exists or (2) I could afford it.
But it's a nice fantasy for me to have as I gear up for a month of promo on a new release (Aug. 12) and a print release of an older book (Aug. 27).
Sigh..... July 14 Here we go again -- double releasesBe careful what you wish for, it might come true ...
My next release is August 12. Then I'll have a November 7 release. Then a November 11 release. And possibly another November release. And a December release.
Okay, maybe some don't 'count' -- they're print versions of previously released e-books. But I still need to do promo for 'em. And make sure all my assorted Lists, Loops, and Spots are updated.
And of course, now that the books are releasing, my editors want the 'next' book.
Yikes! I need to get cracking and quit blogging!
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