Sunday, May 19, 2013

HAVE PEN WILL TRAVEL

There is a teeny-tiny write up about my book in today's Naples Daily News (Sunday, May 19, 2013) in the TRAVEL section...on the last page. How cool is that!!!

I tried to find it on-line, but no success. Drat. I wanted to post it on Facebook -- oh, well.



Thursday, May 16, 2013

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

My book, Only Losers Cry, has been out a couple of weeks now. Everyone asks me, "How are sales going?" I haven't a clue.  But, I keep doing everything the marketing department tells me to do and...boy am I ever tired. Who would have thought selling a book could be so exhausting.

I am getting a small write up in the Naples Daily News on Sunday -- in the Travel section under "Local Authors." Cool!

I had a real eye-opening learning experience this past Tuesday. I was invited to a local middle school to give an author talk to the 6th graders. I was there all day...in the library...and OMG. I knew they didn't know my book or me, but I had given one of my books to the teacher and another to the librarian. I even gave them a poster, hoping for a little pre-publicity. Did I get any?

NO!

"Don't worry." the teachers told me, "They will be full of questions."

I did my talk and left time for questions.

"Does anyone have any questions," I asked -- a big smile on my face.

Stares...blank stares...nothing...it was creepy. I looked to the teachers who tried to encourage the children.

But...stares...blank stares...nothing...really creepy.

You know what --The teachers did not even tell the children about me before they came into the library. Nor did they tell them why I was there...why they were there!!!! GREAT.

After the third group -- lunch. At least a break.

By the fourth group, the teachers realized that they needed to prepare the children and the rest of the day went great!!! Lots of enthusiasm and lots of questions.

This may sound like sour grapes, but the principal never stopped by to welcome me to the school. Since I have been in education for several years, I found this unusual. The only welcome and help I received was from the teacher that invited me and the librarian -- wonderful people.

What a learning experience. I know I will have to do this again, but next time I will be better prepared...and hopefully the kids will be, too.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

WRITING PAYS OFF

March 16th was my last blog. Seriously! March 16th. Where the heck have I been? Good question -- I have no excuses for not writing ... lazy, I guess.

Drum roll, please:

My book, Only Losers Cry, has finally been released. How cool is that. Now comes the hard work -- trying to sell it. How in the world does a girl from a small southwest Florida town get the word around?

I even received my first royalty checks -- emphasis on the "s." Oh, yeah!!!

I posted it on Facebook and asked all my friends to post it to their account. That's one way.

I did a lot of "pre-selling" to my neighbors who are now dispersed throughout the U.S. Hopefully, they will spread the word.

I'm doing an author's visit to one of our local middle schools.

One of my kids sent me a link to Amazon in China -- it can be purchased there. That was interesting to see my title in Chinese.

But, as I ponder ways to become the next James Paterson, I'm working on another book. This time it's a dystopian story. I don't know where it came from. I've never considered myself a "sci-fi" kind of writer, but I decided to let the muse go and see where it leads me.

Gosh, I like writing!!! But, selling -- my, oh, my ... it's difficult.