Scott Semegran's Blog, page 2
November 12, 2024
To Squeeze a Prairie Dog eBook is FREE for a limited time
https://www.bookbub.com/books/to-squeeze-a-prairie-dog-by-scott-semegran?ebook_deal&source=partner_sharing
To Squeeze a Prairie Dog
Also, the audiobook is only $1.99 for a limited time. Grab your copy on Apple Books or Barnes & Noble:
https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/to-squeeze-a-prairie-dog-an-american-novel/id1449838977
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-squeeze-a-prairie-dog-scott-semegran/1129533592?ean=2940171840198
November 1, 2024
Newsletter: November 2024 Edition
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Welcome to the November 2024 edition of my newsletter and the beginning of the holiday season, my favorite time of the year to eat! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I get to spend time with my family and stuff my face with my favorite holiday dishes and desserts. Turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy? It’s food coma time! Three kinds of pie for dessert? I’m dead. Anyway, onward to the newsletter stuff.
Recently, a coworker of mine (yes, I have a day job besides being a writer. You think writers earn a living wage? Ha ha ha ha ha ha nope). Sorry, I got sidetracked. A coworker of mine heard my name on NPR and asked me what it felt like to be famous. And I’m here to say that I’m decidedly NOT famous, not even close. In fact, I don’t have a desire to be famous at all—widely read maybe, but not famous in the I-know-your-face-from-somewhere famous like Stephen King or something. I like my anonymity, but I do enjoy talking to readers and sharing my love for books and literature. My coworker’s comment got me thinking because there’s a distorted perception of what constitutes success or fame when it comes to creative people, particularly writers, putting themselves out into the world.
For every book award I’ve received, there’s a dismal sales report right behind it. For every book festival or TV appearance I’ve made, there’s a book event with two people in attendance right behind it. Being a published writer is truly a mixed bag. There are some great and memorable things and equally humiliating and humbling things that have happened in my writing “career.” And for every Stephen King or Margaret Atwood mega-successful career, there are literally thousands who barely make a decent living. According to a report from the Authors Guild, the median income for all writers in 2023 was about $6,080, with full-time writers averaging around $20,300. That’s not good at all.
October 14, 2024
Book Giveaway: Starman After Midnight
Book Giveaway! I'm giving away five (5) advance paperback copies of my new novel STARMAN AFTER MIDNIGHT on Goodreads. Available in U.S. only between Oct 14 - Oct 28, 2024. Enter here:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/398993-starman-after-midnight-a-novel-in-stories
October 4, 2024
Interview on News 4 WOAI NBC Affiliate in San Antonio
I was interviewed on News 4 WOAI, the NBC affiliate in San Antonio, for their San Antonio Living morning show with host Shelly Miles and city of Boerne rep Chris Shadrock about the Boerne Book Festival and my new novel The Codger and the Sparrow (Paperback from TCU Press, audiobook from Vibrance Press). Watch now!
October 1, 2024
Newsletter: October 2024 Edition
Welcome to the October 2024 edition of my newsletter and the beginning of fall, my favorite season! Send me all the baked fruit pies and pumpkin spice, et al, that you have!! Now that this brutal summer in Texas is finally over, I can get outside and go for walks which will help me write more books. Subscribe to get the newsletter in your email inbox. Never miss an update. Subscribe today! Alright, onto the newsletter stuff.
One of the things that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is the envy that comes from seeing other writers post on social media about their successes and experiencing the jealousy that comes from feeling left out or rejected by several outlets in the literary establishment. It’s not a good feeling particularly in light of the struggle I went through to get to this point in my writing career. Having independently published eight books over 16 years, I’d hoped that finally releasing my ninth book through a traditional publisher would open doors that had been closed to authors like me who’d “self-published” their books. What I discovered was that not many new doors opened for me.
What did I hope would happen? Well, in the months leading up to my book’s publication in March 2024, I hired a publicist and I’d hoped that all the trade publications (or at least ONE) would review my book without me having to pay for a book review like I did as a self-published author. None did. I'd hoped that traditional media, particularly in Texas and in Austin—the city I've lived in for 35 years—would publish a profile about me or, at least, review my book. None did. I felt dejected because I'd finally released my ninth book on a traditional publisher and I was still discovering that the doors were closed for my new book.
So, when I'd see other authors and their similar books to mine receiving reviews in Publishers Weekly or Kirkus Reviews, I felt envious. When I'd see other Texas authors being profiled in Texas Monthly or Texas Highways or the Austin Chronicle, I felt jealous. Why wasn't my book getting that attention? Why wasn't I being featured at that time? I hate admitting that I felt this way, but I'm only human. I'm not perfect.
When I started to understand that this jealousy and envy didn't make me feel good, what did I do about it? I decided it was best for me to do what I could control, and that was to lean into my writing. I'd remind myself that the writing part of being a writer was my favorite part, not fame or notoriety or money or reviews. I also learned from other mid-list authors that I wasn't alone in being rejected. Many of them had also been ignored by the trade publications and traditional media; it wasn't just me. I decided to focus on things that I could control which was to write more books and to be a cheerleader for other writers. These were—and still are—the things that made me feel good as a writer.
Ironically, months after my novel was released and all hope was gone for any publicity for it, I was invited to appear at a book festival, I was invited to be interviewed on LIVE television in San Antonio at the NBC affiliate, I was interviewed for an awesome podcast, and the audiobook edition of my novel was reviewed in AudioFile Magazine, a prestigious trade publication. Very cool developments!
But, as cool as these things are, nothing makes this writer happier than simply writing.
September 23, 2024
Desideratum Podcast Episode Featuring Scott Semegran and his Novel The Codger and the Sparrow
I'm pleased to announce my appearance on the Desideratum Podcast along with the narrator from my audiobook The Codger and the Sparrow, Brian P. Craig. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning narrator Theresa Bakken, Brian and I discuss with Theresa how we created the audiobook with Vibrance Press as well as my thoughts into the creation of my story. I really hope you enjoy listening to our conversation! Please support the Desideratum Podcast by purchasing my audiobook through their affiliate link to Libro.FM, the audiobook retailer that supports indie bookstores.
Listen Now:
If you enjoy listening to podcasts in your preferred audio servce, then here are links to several:
September 11, 2024
Newsletter: September 2024 Edition
Welcome to the September 2024 edition of my newsletter. I’ve moved it back to Substack from Mailchimp, a platform I didn’t really enjoy using. So, here I am again on Substack. Hello! Subscribe to get the newsletter in your email inbox. Never miss an update. Subscribe today!
Not long ago, I read a great post on Jane Friedman’s website by author Denise Massar about her decision to self-publish her memoir after it died on submission. She had a dream of landing a “Big 5” book deal and she couldn’t fathom that her “manuscript would reach 50 editor inboxes and not find a publisher.” And I certainly understand her frustration. You would think out of 50 editors that at least one would offer her a deal. It just didn’t happen for a number of reasons.
She was dejected, but also couldn’t imagine self-publishing her memoir. It just seemed like the wrong path for her book. But what she didn’t realize at first was that there are so many paths to publication and self-publishing can be just as successful as a “Big 5” deal. With self-publishing, an author can learn about not only writing and editing a book, but designing and publishing a book. An author can work with a graphic designer to create a cover for an eBook as well as a print book. An author can learn how to create book layouts or work with a book designer. And an author can work with a distributor like Ingram and release their book through IngramSpark, Ingram’s self-publishing platform.
August 20, 2024
Austin Liti Limits Episode 58 with EMILY JON TOBIAS is Out Now
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Austin Liti Limits Episode 58 with debut author EMILY JON TOBIAS is now available! Check it out now over at the Austin Liti Limits website.
Go here to watch: https://austinlitilimits.com/episodes/episode-58-emily-jon-tobias.html
July 9, 2024
Author Interview: Scott Semegran
Welcome to this week’s free edition of Publishing Confidential. Today’s q&a is with Scott Semegran, an award-winning writer whose book The Codger and the Sparrow was published earlier this year.
Your book, The Codger and the Sparrow, brings two people together in an improbable friendship. Hank is 65, and Luis is 16. Their initial commonality is that they both got in trouble with the law, but their bond deepened. Tell me what inspired this story.
So, the initial nugget of the idea for this story came to me in the fall of 2020. My wife and I had fallen into the habit of waking up in the middle of the night, probably from the stress of the pandemic. I was sitting on my couch late one night petting my cat (Berri, rest in peace) when I had a vision of an old white man and a young Black guy in a classic car, driving somewhere. They looked like friends to me, not a paternal relationship or anything like that. They were just two dudes hanging out, looking easy and comfortable with each other. So, I started to ask myself, “How are these two friends?” The stark contrast of their outward appearances seemed somewhat comedic. It wasn’t until I dug deeper into their backstories that I discovered what they had in common: their grief from familial loss.
June 26, 2024
Austin Liti Limits Episode 57 with RAMONA REEVES is Out Now
Austin Liti Limits Episode 57 with award-winning author RAMONA REEVES is now available! Check it out now over at the Austin Liti Limits website.
Go here to watch: https://austinlitilimits.com/episodes/episode-57-ramona-reeves.html
