Sherry Morris's Blog, page 16

Dialing Back the Shameless Self Promotion

Possibly because I haven't released any new books for a year, my sales have fallen into a deep abyss and are circling the drain.

I've been published by small presses since 2005 and have been an Indie publisher since last year. I still have one title with Eternal Press, Thousand Dollar Pharaoh. It's sales are worst of all.

I'm not even selling an average of one book per week now, out of 13 available to chose from. My sales at iBooks, All Romance eBooks and Kobo fizzled last autumn. I've sold one paperback in the last nine months, and that was to a Twitter pal in the UK. I've never sold any directly at Smashwords. Kindle and Nook sales are my only outlets now.

I've experimented with prices. I've determined the price readers will readily pay for my books is zero. I've given thousands away. And in return for free literature, those people have given me horrible, gut ripping reviews for books they wouldn't buy and probably didn't read. My few good reviews were from readers who were interested in my genres and story lines and actually paid to read them. Go figure.

I've spent more hours of my life online promoting my books than I care to admit. I have paid for an app to automatically send tweets and it also automatically retweets other authors. It wasn't much, but since it's prepaid for a year, I'll probably keep it active on a low key par. No longer sending a tweet every five minutes. Not retweeting up to 30 others per hour.

Oh, have I mentioned I'm scared of Facebook and don't understand Pintrest? All of my promo is on Twitter. I have 24,000 followers now. Hundreds of daily click-throughs to my blog and Amazon. And yep, I still sell less than one book per week. And if that book retails for 99 cents, my gross royalty is 35 cents before taxes and expenses.

Anyhow, I do enjoy Twitter. I like bantering about mundane life: dogs, kids, laundry, food, Disney, General Hospital, running and yoga. And I help newbie authors. So you'll see more of me tweeting live and less automatic buy my book tweets. You're welcome.

 I have written two first drafts of novels which I won't polish and publish. No point in putting out more books that will just be rejected. Honestly, I don't enjoy writing anymore. I'm done, and climbing out out the fire and into the fresh air. Hello Spring!

I Ran My First 5K!

I successfully completed my first 5K race on February 21, 2014! The Cinderella Royal Family 5K in Disney World.

I had seen an advertisement for it in a running magazine the previous Spring. I talked my athletic husband (he's a bicyclist) into running it with me. Well, not exactly with me. He has a faster time, so he was in a different corral.

We love Disney, and have been visiting it at least biannually since the summer after we were married. I'd never been on a real vacation before. Summer trips to get left with distant relatives in rural mountain communities was my childhood. I was immediately hooked as soon as I saw my first palm tree in the median strip of Interstate 95 in South Carolina. The Florida welcome center had free orange juice back in the day and I think still does. Disney World was a dream come true. But my hunky hero husband has always made all of my dreams come true.

So, on to our "Race-cation". I had "trained" cough-cough for nearly a year, and thought I was good enough. Mostly on the treadmill, because we live at the bottom of a steep incline. Anyhow, shortly before the race, when I received my final instructions, I was mortified to learn I must keep up a 16 minute mile pace lest I be removed, put on a bus and not allowed to cross the finish line and receive my medal. My best time was 17.33 minutes.

I panicked, drove my family nuts with my freaking out. Then I shut up, decided to just do it and guess what? I did it! Yes, I could have pushed myself harder in the race. But I finished in time without being scolded by Donald Duck. Crossing the finish line was a dream come true. I can't wait to do it all again. Perhaps in the fall.

I loved it all. And felt like the Run Disney team did it all for me. Picked me up in a chartered bus at my hotel at 4:15 AM on race day. Took me to the course they'd set up with cones and corrals. Entertained me with a DJ playing group dance songs. Cinderella and Prince Charming made an appearance. Fireworks with the start gun. Volunteers along the way with crazy noise makers encouraging me forward. Diversions through secret backstage areas of EPCOT to ensure the route was a bonafide 5K. Two water stations along the way with folks handing me half cups of water. Trash cans. Opening EPCOT early just so I could run through the countries and future world. Handing me a special medal after I crossed the finish line. Emailing me photos of me running and crossing the finish line. Water, bananas and a snack box at the end, where I was reunited with my own dreamy Prince Charming. Transportation back to our hotel for showers and celebrations.

Yes, this was a good choice for my first 5K.

Recipe: Quick and Spicy White Chicken Chili

1 skinless boneless Chicken Breast
1 Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 14.5 oz. cans Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
2 14.5 oz. cans Cannellini Beans
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup water
1 envelope McCormick's White Chicken Chili Seasoning Mix

In large stockpot or dutch oven, brown chicken breast in olive oil. Cover with lid. Remove chicken from pan and slice into bite sized pieces. Chicken will be raw in the middle. Saute onion and bell pepper in butter in same pan. Return chicken to pan to finish cooking. Stir frequently. Add garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes and chili powder while sauteing.

Sprinkle McCormick's White Chicken Chili Seasoning Mix over onions, peppers and chicken. Stir and coat well. Add one cup water. Add Cannolini Beans and chicken broth. Stir well. Simmer 30 minutes over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally.

Suggested stir-ins from your refrigerator shelves: 1 cup cooked red or black beans, 1 cup corn and/or 1 cup cooked rice.

Serves four with leftovers.

I serve it with salad and freshly baked corn bread.

Ready, Set, Run!

I registered for my first 5K last Spring. The countdown is upon me, I'm competing this week!

I've read numerous books, magazines and online articles about training for your first race. I'm a non-athlete so this is a big deal. I've implemented several of the suggested plans. And never followed all the way through with any. My problem? I think it's because I don't like running on a treadmill. I live at the bottom of a steep grade in a neighborhood where yes, there has been gang activity. Yes, there is the occasional drifter. Yes, there frequently are loose dogs, feral cats and copperhead snakes. No, I can't talk any of my family members into running with me. My friendly neighbors moved away years ago. All of that aside, when the weather is nice and the sidewalks are clear, it's really hard for a beginning runner to run uphill and not get crampy, winded and discouraged.

I belong to two gyms. One is a 45 minute round trip (except in the summer when the traffic is relentless). I really enjoy the group exercise classes with their top notch instructors. I take several classes each week: Yoga, Pilates and CXWORX. We joined a nearby gym for cardio. So I run on the treadmill or climb the stairmill. I did work with a professional trainer for there for several weeks. He was great, but unreliable and his one dollar per minute fee did not fit into my family budget long-term.

There is a local running club, and it is my fond desire to join them. But not until I can prove to myself that I can actually run. I want to be an athlete. I want to move my body for health and emotional vigor.

Physical background: I was born pigeon-toed. Back when they treated in-toeing. I went to physical therapy, wore ugly oxblood leather high topped shoes, was fitted into an apparatus at night which was a long metal bar with a shoe attached to each end pointing outward. All through childhood, I had to look down when walking, running or skipping or I'd trip over the sidewalk cracks. I dreaded P.E. and was too shy to dance or do cheer leading. I'm also a 9 year cancer survivor. Melanoma. I've never had a tan, have always been careful to stay out of the sun and I slather on sunscreen. I'm 50 years old. Twenty pounds overweight. Normal blood pressure and cholesterol. My beautiful nonsmoker sister died of lung cancer at age 57. Our parents died of heart disease at 85 and 91.

When my final race instructions arrived last week, I was horrified to learn there was a minimum 16 minute mile pace. If you fall behind the pacer bike with the orange flag, you will be removed from the race, put on a bus and not allowed to cross the finish line or receive a medal. I thought I was all ready, my average treadmill time was 17.33. Not good enough!

I lamented a couple of days, driving my family nuts. They don't do pity parties. Suck it up and stop talking about it. That is there modus operendi. And they of course reminded me that they've been telling me all year that I needed to push myself and run faster. And I kept shushing them with excuses. As the start line approaches, I now admit I was wrong and they were right.

I went wild plotting training strategies. Then I realized. There isn't time for what I would need to do. I searched the web and found a blog reporting that in this particular race, I may be able to buy myself some time if I can make my way up to the front of the corral, because the pace timer does not commence until the last person crosses the start line. So I have that glimmer of hope.

But really, I've never been in it to win it. I just want to finish it. If they do pull me out of the race, well, I had the courage to start. There will/may be other races. I just hope I don't cry because my husband who is an athlete (and will be starting in a faster corral) will not be sympathetic and I don't want to ruin our race-cation. This whole thing was my idea and he's coming along for the adventure. Acually, he's coming along for the food.

Kindle Sale, Puppy Halo and Yikes

All of my indie Kindle books are on sale for 99 cents!


Franklin was neutered and micro-chipped eleven days ago. The vet sent him home the same day into the custody of my daughter and I, only because we are EMTs. She normally keeps the dogs overnight in case of scrotal hemorrhage. I'm happy to report no issues. The hard plastic halo (above) was extremely difficult for the little guy to navigate with. No peripheral vision, it wouldn't fit into his hut (our word for the crate he sleeps in at night) and he couldn't eat or drink or sniff well. My husband found him a pliable cloth halo at Petco which was much more puppy friendly. He is now healed well enough for full activity, whoo hoo!



The scar from my skin biopsy last summer morphed into something which spooked my dermatologist so she excised it today. Ten stitches in my chest. But no halo. I've been told I'm a dermatologist's worst nightmare because I had the rarest form of Melanoma in 2005. It had no pigment in it and it's an amazing miracle my gynecologist nurse practitioner wanted it checked. Every six months I have a full body skin exam and anything interesting gets sent to the pathologist. For what it's worth, I've always been careful about the sun, slathering on sunscreen and waiting until after 4 PM to take the kids to the pool. I've never had a tan nor been to a tanning salon or used artificial tanner. And I am a skin cancer survivor. My beautiful non-smoker sister died of lung cancer in November, so we are proof that risk factors have nothing to do with carcinoma.

Now I have my activities limited for two weeks. Alas, no more Pilates, Yoga, CXWORX, Body Pump or any upper body work at the gym. I'm relegated to the treadmill. Sigh. Since I'm registered for my first 5K next month, I suppose that's a good thing. I should be well prepared. And it's in Disney World!

Training for my 1st 5K Day 6

Done with my coo-coo emotional roller coaster, I hopped on the treadmill in our basement right after breakfast this morning. I'll do another thirty minutes after Miss Nightshift rises and I serve her 'breakfast' this afternoon.

The clocks were for sale in EPCOT on our last Disney World visit.

Day 6: Ran 30 minutes on our home treadmill, logging 1.67 miles. Ear bud issues, but I was able to enjoy my new playlist.

Training for my 1st 5K Day 5

After taking yesterday off to rest and celebrate, I was looking forward to running today. Until I woke up emotional. PMS/Grief/Holiday. I missed my sister all day. She passed two days before Thanksgiving. I finally allowed myself time to cry for her.

Day 5:  Rest

Putting the Past Behind Me

This morning, I updated my Twitter profile:

I'm training to run my 1st 5K! I love my Husband, Kids.Dogs, Disney, Yoga & General Hospital. I wrote 6 novels. I can usually be found climbing Mt. Laundry.

And I tweeted:

I wrote 6 novels. Past Tense. Whoo hoo! I can finally say I'm done with writing without feeling guilty about stopping. #Accomplished #Next?

And it felt great.

I finished writing my last published novel, Inappropriate in 2008. Then I took an EMT course, became a volunteer EMT with an elite rescue squad. I also worked as a professional EMT in a hospital emergency room and cross-trained as a health unit coordinator (secretary) and a communications coordinator (I kept vigil over the EKGs and communicated with incoming ambulances). Needless to say, I wasn't writing during this time. 

In January 2010 my father died. In December, my mother joined him. I was executrix of their estates and it was a terrible mess. I finally convinced the government in August of 2013 they are dead and they won't be making any more money. What little they had got divided between three government agencies, the heirs got nothing. Anyhow, it was extremely stressful, I really let it haunt me as penance for being a weak daughter or something like that. Momma and Daddy are finally resting peacefully at Arlington National Cemetery.

I resigned from my job and went inactive with the rescue squad in January 2011. I wrote two more novel first drafts. Working titles Unchained Melody and Resuscitated. I went to writers conferences, was active on the online writing loops, held a BOD position with the Virginia Romance Writers and joined Sisters in Crime and a local chapter (a women mystery writers organization). I asked for a received rights back to all but one of my novels. I self-published them. I did a promo blitz. I got burnt out.

My writing pals encouraged me to keep writing. And I tried. But my heart wasn't in it. I didn't get joy. Nobody wanted to buy the books I already had out there. All I felt was guilt that I should be writing. Because my friends from back in the day were still writing. And they enjoyed it. But I didn't. I kept telling myself I'd take a break, then I'd write again. And every time I tried, I didn't want to write again.

I went to my last writers conference in New Jersey in October 2013. It was great running around with my dear pal, Sandra Cox (who just became a double grandmother). And it fell on my wedding anniversary, so my hunky husband came and surprised me with an intimate celebration in my room and an enjoyable ride home. I pitched to an agent whom I finally felt might like my work. We had dining at Disney in common. And he was a comedian, and I write funny. I also pitched to an editor who was polite. Both asked me to send them partials. I sent one to the agent. And never heard boo.

My kids both completed college in 2013. They both have jobs. They are still living in our family home, but are officially out of their father's pocket. My husband is retired from firefighting and working his second career. Our old dog has special needs and our new rescue puppy is lots of work. I have all the opportunity in the world to write now. And I still don't want to.

My beloved big sister, Beth, died two days before Thanksgiving 2013. Lung cancer. A non-smoker, she kept her illness a secret from me, wanting to wait to tell me after she was in remission. I found out a week before she passed. She is retired USAF. We are at war. There is a backlog at Arlington National Cemetery where she will have a ceremony with full honors. We still haven't had her funeral. I desperately need closure. I miss her terribly.

Today I gave myself permission to stop planning to write. Those unfinished manuscripts can remain undone. I can find something fun to divert the money I'm not sending to renew my memberships in Romance Writers of America, Virginia Romance Writers and Sisters in Crime.

I don't have to promote my books nobody wants to read. I can blog and tweet about things I'm interested in now. I can go to Disney World more often, instead of writers' conferences.

I can find something new and exciting or old and comforting to do with my time. I re-certified as an EMT in July 2013, in case I decide I want to jump back into that world. I miss helping people who are having really bad days. Right now, I don't know exactly what I want to do. Other than finish my first 5K. In EPCOT.

For Beth: Send in the clowns...

Training for My First 5K Day 4

It's New Year's Eve. I considered going to the gym and working my major muscle groups on the weight machines. I'm only mildly sore today. My hips have recovered! I gave myself the day off. It's New Year's Eve.

Day 4:  Rest

Training for my First 5K Day 3

My hips were still achy this morning. I decided I'd go to the gym and try the treadmill. If my body said no, I'd work my upper body on the pulley resistance machines instead.

I'm happy to report I didn't feel any discomfort in my hips or elsewhere while running. I had earphones today that stayed in my ears (Saturday they fell out so I couldn't listen to my iPod). The music moved me.

Day 3: I ran 3.11 miles on the treadmill in 53 minutes, which is seven minutes faster than my first try, whoo hoo! I got up to 4.1 mph a couple times, with my median speed 3.5 mph. The first day I only got up to 3.6 mph with my median speed 3.1.

My treadmill pulse was up to 100% maximum, which for what it's worth, accuracy wise, was slightly spooky, but my resting pulse is low and my blood pressure is normal. I'm hoping as I progress, the heart rate won't peak so high.

My goal is to be able to finish the real 5K at EPCOT in 45 minutes.