A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 156
July 7, 2016
Book Spotlight – A Sudden Gust of Gravity – Laurie Boris
Basic Book Spotlight
Title: A Sudden Gust of Gravity
Author: Laurie Boris
Genre: Romance, romantic suspense
Main character description (short).
Christina Davenport is a twenty-five-year-old waitress living in Boston. She’s a graceful and athletic young woman, green-eyed and curly-haired. She’s down on her luck at the moment, surviving on tips and her sardonic sense of humor, but buried within her is the desire to build a new life for herself. All she has to do is figure out how.
Synopsis:
Waitress Christina Davenport lands in a world of trouble when she accepts a job as an assistant to a charming street performer. She’d wanted to be a magician and vowed to never again stand in the background holding some guy’s props, but Christina has a score to settle—with her traumatic family history, with people telling her she can’t hack it on her own. Reynaldo the Magnificent is more than a little full of himself and has a dark side, but to Christina, he could be her second chance, her redemption, her ticket to something bigger. If only she can learn from him before he discovers her secrets.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
“Got a résumé?” he asked.
Christina shook her head.
“Video?”
Again, she shook her head.
“Performing experience?”
She wondered if waitressing counted. Because she damned sure wasn’t telling him about her father.
He leaned back, tapping a pen against his open notebook, and narrowed his eyes at her, grinning a hitch as if she were an intriguing puzzle he couldn’t solve. Then he pointed the pen in her direction. “I like you, though. There’s something about you. And you’re easy on the eyes. I think we can work with that. What do you know about magic?”
Again, not talking about her father. What he’d taught her. The hours she’d practiced. Or why she’d stopped. In case he got the wrong idea about her intentions, Christina decided it was better to plead ignorance. She swallowed and curled a hand around her mug.
“Um…abracadabra?”
“Cute. You’re cute.” He scribbled some notes. “We can work with that, too.” He paused a moment. “What were you doing in the magic store?”
“Like I said. I saw something shiny in the window.”
He gave her a long, flat stare. She exhaled and let her shoulders relax. “Okay. I was looking for a present for my little cousin.”
He tapped the pen again. “Tyke wants to be the next big thing?”
“I guess.”
“Well, tell him to stop it. We don’t need the competition.”
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll get him socks and underwear.”
“And she has a sense of humor. We’ll have to train you out of that. I do the jokes in this act.”
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
Sparking with intrigue and romance, A Sudden Gust of Gravity is set into the world of street magic in contemporary Boston. Beyond that, it’s an uplifting and entertaining tale about redemption, second chances, and not settling for less than you deserve.
Links etc.
A Sudden Gust of Gravity: https://www.amazon.com/Sudden-Gust-Gravity-Laurie-Boris-ebook/dp/B017QEIES2/
July 6, 2016
Writing for Shared Universes: Guest Post by @WestonAndrew #amwriting #books #SFF
A great interview with a great author;)
POTL: All Things Books, Reading and Publishing
As some of my readers will be aware, as well as being the creator of the IX Series (The IX – Exordium of Tears – Prelude to Sorrow – TBR) I also devised the rather dark and devilishly intense character of Daemon Grim.
Now, this guy is none other than the Grim Reaper himself, Satan’s chief bounty hunter and go-to guy in times of trouble, and you get to read about his trials and tribulations in the #1 international bestseller, Hell Bound, and the sequel due toward the end of this year through Perseid Press, Hell Hounds.
The thing is, there’s more to the Reaper than first meets the eye, as his exploits form part of Janet Morris’ critically acclaimed Heroes in Hell shared universe.
Don’t know what Heroes in Hell is all about?
Heroes in Hell is a series of shared world fantasy books, within the genre Bangsian fantasy, created…
View original post 1,063 more words
July 3, 2016
The Man who Won the Hand of the Fair Maid of Kent — Lenora’s Culture Center and Foray into History
Originally posted on History… the interesting bits!: Sir Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent Having recently written about William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury and husband of Joan of Kent, I thought it only fair to write an article on William’s love rival, Thomas Holland. The 2nd son of Robert Holland, Lord Holland of Upholland, Lancashire,…
via The Man who Won the Hand of the Fair Maid of Kent — Lenora’s Culture Center and Foray into History
So Many Freebies — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog
Originally posted on A Creative State of Mind: For a very limited time, most of my books are free. Yes, that’s right. Free! Here are the details: On Kindle, you can download the following books for free now through July 5th: Sweet Sorrow The Fifth Circle Better than Perfect The Seance On Smashwords, for the…
via So Many Freebies — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog
July 2, 2016
The Somme 100
http://www.cliparthut.com/transparent-poppy-field-clipart-MpS2j2.html
I meant to post this yesterday.
The Somme -100
July 1-November 18 1916
The Somme, Picardy, France.
One hundred years ago, on 1st July 1916 the ‘Bloodiest day in the history of the British Army’ began. The Battle of the Somme – France. The allies of France, Britain and Russia had been at war with Germany/Austro-Hungary for two years but this particular Offensive was the bloodiest yet. The First World War has been called ‘The War to End All Wars’ – but alas it was not to be so. It was the greatest loss of human life in battle until that date.
Britain and France commemorate the site and the battlefield, but many other countries, including the US, know little of this region and its blood-soaked history. So why was it so awful?
“The Battle of the Somme was fought at such terrible cost that it has come to symbolise the tragic futility of the First World War. Its first day of conflict remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army and it was felt deeply at home.”
http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ww1-centenary/somme-100
F Scott Fitzgerald describes it poignantly, “This land here cost twenty lies a foot that summer….. See that little stream – we could walk to it in two minutes. It took the British a month to walk to it – a whole empire walking very slowly, dying in front and pushing forward behind. And another empire walked very slowly backwards a few inches a day, leaving the dead like a million bloody rugs.” (Tender is the Night – F Scott Fitzgerald – Chapter 13)
Young men from all walks of life fought, and died that summer. Pals brigades, boys of 14 who had lied about their age, father, brothers, sons, husbands, friends. Death took them without favour. The Grim reaper cares not for ties of family or friendship, and his scythe was busy indeed.
Over 400000 men died in just six miles, and over a million in that battle alone. In the first DAY 19240 men fell in that field. 19420. That’s over twenty men a minute! That is incredible. And so terribly tragic.
‘The official number of British dead, missing or wounded during that period is 419, 654. There were 72,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died at the Somme with no known graves and whose names are recorded on the British memorial at Thiepval.’
Including Allied soldiers over 600000 died, and half a million Germans.
51 Victoria Crosses were awarded for gallantry. 9 in the first day.
Read more about these men here: http://www.hellfirecorner.co.uk/9vcs.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_First_World_War_Victoria_Cross_recipients
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/ten-facts-about-the-battle-of-the-somme/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_memorials_and_cemeteries_in_the_Somme
It was believed the weight of the shelling in the week before would reduce the German lines and destroy them before the British even got there. It was a terrible miscalculation. The British shells were not well made, and could not get into the deep German bunkers. The average solider had to carry 30kg of kit. Many had not seen battle before and were not professional soldiers. They were ordinary men in an extraordinary situation. 90% of a Canadian Battalion died in the first day. 90%.
From Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme
‘The first day on the Somme began 141 days of the Battle of the Somme and the opening day of the Battle of Albert. The attack was made by five divisions of the French Sixth Army either side of the Somme, eleven British divisions of the Fourth Army north of the Somme to Serre and two divisions of the Third Army opposite Gommecourt, against the German Second Army of General Fritz von Below. The German defence south of the Albert–Bapaume road mostly collapsed and the French had “complete success” on both banks of the Somme, as did the British from the army boundary at Maricourt to the Albert–Bapaume road. On the south bank the German defence was made incapable of resisting another attack and a substantial retreat began; on the north bank the abandonment of Fricourt was ordered. The defenders on the commanding ground north of the road inflicted a huge defeat on the British infantry, who had an unprecedented number of casualties. Several truces were negotiated, to recover wounded from no man’s land north of the road. The Fourth Army took 57,470 casualties, of which 19,240 men were killed, the French Sixth Army had 1,590 casualties and the German 2nd Army had 10,000–12,000 losses.[21]‘
At Thiepval memorial site miles of pristine white headstones (British/Commonwealth) and wooden crosses (French) fill the area around and the fields themselves are filled with shell -holes, and replica trenches. There is a cemetery in that region with graves as far as the eye can see. And these were just the graves of the men they FOUND. The memorial itself is the most tragically beautiful thing I have ever seen. I was 16 when I visited that region on a school trip and I can honestly say that I will never forget it. Some of those soldiers were no older than I was then. And they didn’t return. It’s an astonishing place. I remember – we went in winter and it was snowing, bloody cold but we all stood in the snow and just stared that this could have happened. Thiepval commemorates 72ooo men whose bodies were never recovered, but lost their lives in 141 days of hell. That’s three times larger than the population of the town I was raised in. More than the current population of British towns such as Shrewsbury, Aylesbury, Crewe, Tunbridge Wells, and many more. It’s more than the total population of Greenland, and twice the population of Leichenstein. That is ONE memorial. Teenage boys, who like to be seen as tough stood weeping silently. I think every British child should visit that site. It’s something that will stay with you.
This year the Royal British Legion are producing poppy pin badges from shell metal actually found in the battle field. One for every person who died. I am proud to own one – mine commemorates Lance Corporal William Dengate – London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifle – service number 3408.) He died on 1 July 1916. He was from Clapham, in London. He was likely awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk
See his profile here
So far that’s all I have managed to find out about him, but I’ll keep searching. Who was he? What did he do for a living? What was his age? Was he some one’s husband? Was he someone’s father, or brother.
The Somme Offensive was, eventually, a strategic success – the Germans were damaged and it was one of the factors which brought the USA into the war. And the British began to use tanks from September 1916 – modern warfare was born. It relieved the pressure of the French and Verdun and many argue it was a pivotal battle – but at such a cost.
Remembering the Great War – because the War to End all War didn’t.
July 1, 2016
Smashwords Summer Sale! A. L. Butcher – The Light Beyond The Storm Chronicles
It’s that time of year again – Smashwords is having their month-long Summer Sale!
For now I’m only adding the novels – but the short stories may follow.
50% off until the end of July – with this COUPON only.
The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290716?ref=ALB123 (affiliate link)
Use the code SSW50 at checkout for 50% off during the site-wide promotion!
(Offer good through July 31, 2016)
The Shining Citadel
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/352783
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/352783?ref=ALB123 (affiliate link)
Use the code SSW50 at checkout for 50% off during our site-wide promotion!
(Offer good through July 31, 2016)
Look out for more featured books coming over the next few days and weeks.
Happy July!
June 23, 2016
Reader Interview Number Twenty – Amanda Kent
It’s been over a year since I’ve posted a reader interview so it’s great to be running one again.
*Welcome to Amanda Kent
Where are you from? United Kingdom
Please tell us a little about yourself.
Retired IT Programme/Project Manager. Labour Party activist and ward chair, currently campaigning to remain in the European Union. Member of local Amnesty International group. Fluent in French and German as well as English mother tongue. Married with two sons.
On average how many books do you read in a month? Approx 80–90-120 per year. Of these, I read a small amount of books in French and German each year, maybe 5% and hope to add Italian to this eventually. I don’t read translations of books that I can read in the original French or German.
A quarter to a third of the books I read will be re-reads, mostly genre fiction to unwind. A quarter to a third of the books will be by women. With a conscious effort, I managed to make it half and half last year, but it doesn’t really seem worth a conscious effort, because it was lowering the overall quality. More of the women authors I read seem to be crime or SF/fantasy than serious.
Where is your favourite place to read? Anywhere and everywhere. I almost always carry a book.
*What genres do you prefer and why? Do you have any genres you avoid?
I have no prefered genre though I’m finding that I read more non-fiction as I get older than I used to. As well as novels and non-fiction, I quite often read plays but only a little poetry, usually short poems.
I don’t like horror/ghost stories at all, or misery memoirs. I rarely read chick-lit/romance. I’m not usually much interested in travel books.
Why are books important to you and what does reading bring to your life?
Fiction, notably genre fiction, provides escape and relaxation. Non-fiction provides information and food for thought which may influence moral and political choices, as does quality fiction.
Do you have a favourite book or author? Why do you think you like this book/author so much?
No, I would spend hours trying to work out even a top 100.
What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this?
I prefer physical books, paperback or hardback. If I re-read a paperback too often, I may need a hardback replacement because it fell apart. This happened to my childhood paperback of Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings – and the hardbacks of it which my sons have shared are now showing a pale skin pink under the leather of the binding.
Good covers, presentation, illustration do contribute to the pleasure of reading. I don’t like e-books, possibly because I was in IT: screen-reading is work not pleasure to me. I never really got into audiobooks – unless you’re travelling a lot by car or have a visual handicap, they just take too long compared with reading. Also most audiobooks are abridged and I want to read the real thing. That may, of course, change if I go blind in old age.
How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know?
I read things I’ve earmarked from the Guardian’s Saturday Review of Books, friends recommendations and further works from authors I already know.
I buy books firsthand from Waterstones, Foyles, Daunts, second hand through Amazon marketplace(not from Amazon direct if I can possibly avoid it) or charity shops and I borrow books from friends and from the library, especially books where I have any doubts if I’m going to like them. Occasionally if I love a library book, I may later buy it to re-read.
When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look? What makes you turn away?
Mostly I read books I’ve already identifed I want to read so what attracts my eye is a known author or title, very occasionally an intriguing cover and blurb.
Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence your choice?
I rarely read on-line reviews but read some newspaper/magazine ones.
Do you “judge a book by its cover?”
Occasionally a cover will put me off reading a book, which sometimes I may return to a later edition of, but not very often and very occasionally a cover & blurb will attract me to a book I might have overlooked, but it’s definitely secondary .
What do you think is the most important aspect of a book for you? Plot, world-building, strong characters etc.? What turns you off?
Plot and the construction of the story is important in fiction/drama, except in poetry where form to a large extent takes over from plot. I hated Stephen Donaldson’s Lord Foul’s Bane because after a really interesting opening idea it went into chapter after chapter of he met some strange beings, did some unconnected stuff (repeat, repeat, repeat, stop) with no linking or development of character or apparent point to the tale. Fernando Pessoa’s Book of Disquiet I couldn’t read because of the absence of plot; there were beautiful passages but the lack of overall shape made it well nigh impossible to remember what you’d read 10 pages ago – it can only really be done as a kind of poetry and that’s hard.
Plausible characters and events are critical in fiction whether in a totally imaginary or a realistic tale. Style/narrative approach matter, at their best they reinforce the story e.g. Primo Levi: the Periodic Table or Jeannette Winterson: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; at their worst they give a gimmicky feel to the book.
The way some authors write can put me off, if their style is very ‘look how clever I am’ for example or outright pretentious – I’m not a big fan of Salman Rushdie or John Fowles because of this. Stylistic tics and bad proofreading can be an irritant – for example it is sadly obvious that Bloomsbury gave up proofreading JK Rowling after book 3 and the quality is affected even if the overall narrative is still strong.
In non-fiction, I like information to either to be a story eg biographies or to present a coherent argument on an issue or issues.
My favourite books tend to be ones that give you some food for thought on issues of ethics, politics or approach to live.
Does the behaviour of an author affect your choice to read one of their books?
Potentially yes. If the author is obnoxious in real life, it’s likely to come through in the books. And there are so many other books… If I hate the first book I read by an author, it takes a personal recommendation to get me to try another. I have an accumulated ‘To read list’ of about 500 titles so why waste energy on things I probably won’t enjoy!
It’s only rarely that I give up part way through a book, though, and that’s partly because I read quite fast. However, some books I couldn’t finish are supposed to be very good e.g. Don Quixote but I was so bored by the end of part 1 I just couldn’t manage any more.
What are your views on authors commenting on reviews on sites such as Goodreads?
I wish they would keep away and I absolutely hate it in when they promote their books, it almost guarantees that I won’t read them: if their books were any good they wouldn’t be doing it. I don’t buy from door-to-door salesmen for the same reason.
If you had to pick three favourite books to take to a desert island what would they be?
I doubt if I could really, but for example Mrs Gaskell: North and South; Victor Hugo: les Miserables and Erich Maria Remarque: A Time to Live and a Time to Die (sometimes mistranslated as a Time to Love because of the film).
Or on a different day, Hermanne Hesse: the Glass-Bead Game, Antonio Tabucchi: Pereira Maintains and Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
Do you think bricks and mortar bookshops are in decline?
They have been but seem to have stabilised at a lower level and physical books are not in decline, at least here in Britain.
June 21, 2016
Review – Golden Sword – Janet Morris
The Golden Sword – Janet Morris
5 stars
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Silistra-Quartet/dp/0996898271/ (UK link)
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Sword-Silistra-Quartet/dp/0996898271/ (US Link)
Let me start by saying this is the SECOND book in the SIlistra Quartet – and it helps to have read the earlier book, although I think you could get by without it.
The action starts immediately, and thus some prior knowledge of the world and the main character is useful. That said The world building, like Janet Morris’s other books is superb and there is a helpful glossary at the back for the unfamiliar alien terms. When Morris creates a world she doesn’t hold back and this darkly sensual book ticks all the boxes for drama, cleverness and the ability to make the reader think. What is duty? What is love and how does it bind a person. Is sex merely pleasure or is there something far more profound in our genetic and cultural identity – and for that matter how fixed is it? Silistra is a world once ravaged by a war and environmental damage which almost destroyed everything – greed, vanity, selfishness and all the dark deeds of which an ‘intelligent’ society is capable. From these ashes rise the Wells and the alien but hauntingly possible culture of this world.
Silistra is a world where the ability to reproduce is perhaps the most important aspect – as wars and a bloody history almost destroyed the races. Thus sex, and the relationships between men and women, the way their society sees them, is important. And women ofter hold the power. Yet it isn’t that simple (these things rarely are), for the various factions fight between themselves, try to hold the more technologically advanced races at bay, and seek to find themselves. Love of those simply not worthy of it by the rational mind and of the call of one person’s allure to another. The role of men and women, master or mistress and subordinate, of slave and free, of tribe and tribe, city and city, Silistrian and environment are woven about a tale of one woman’s quest to find out who she is and not necessarily liking the answer.
The secret of the Silistran longevity is threatened, and with it the Silistran way of life and all they hold dear. This is more than just Estri’s own fight for survival as allies and enemies duel, intrigue and switch allegiances. Secrets are revealed, bargains struck and betrayed and threats loom from the stars without, the people within and the treachery of one’s own fear.
It’s not a book for those looking for a simple adventure, or a happy ever after. It’s not a love story, and it’s not a story for those who are easily offended. But it is a great story. There is sex, violence, betrayal, blood, death, loss, love, hatred, fear, power struggles and people being really quite shitty to one another, and in this I found a reflection of ourselves – our world as could be, and might well be. This is a book which makes one’s blood sing and one’s mind ponder.
I loved the first in the series and enjoyed this as much, perhaps more. The ending leaves the reader desperate to know what happens to Estri next – courtesan, slave, warrior, lover, rebel. What is next for our heroine?
June 16, 2016
Meet Marcus Brutus from Exordium of Tears by @WestonAndrew #SFF #books
A great character post
POTL: All Things Books, Reading and Publishing
My name is Marcus Brutus, onetime Triari Centurion of the 9th Legion Hispania, dispatched with my brothers to quell the Celtic uprising in the cold and misty wastelands of Caledonia, north of Britannia. We failed in our mission due to the interference of powers beyond our understanding. Thinking we had been extended a reprieve at the moment of death, my brothers and I awakened on a far distant planet where we were given a simple ultimatum. Fight or Die. Yes, it seemed our skills were needed again, and thus began an unbelievable journey that emphasized a stark reality. Death is just the beginning of the adventure.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
To fulfill my duties with honor, and then be given an opportunity to leave a life of bloodshed behind. Before all this happened, I’d served Rome for many years and was determined to see the day…
View original post 2,283 more words
June 12, 2016
KDP and Self-Publishing – A Noob’s Guide Part 2
More helpful info on publishing on Amazon’s KDP forum:
Creating an account:
Already have an Amazon.com Account?
Sign in to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) with your existing Amazon username and password. (This can be found via the link at the BOTTOM of the homepage.
Don’t have an Amazon Account?
Click “Sign up” from the KDP homepage, provide your email address and select “I am a new customer.” Enter your first and last name, and a secure password.
REMEMBER THESE DETAILS! If you need to contact support they will ONLY respond to the email you provided when you set up the account, or attached to the account if you have changed it. Sometimes people accidentally log in with a new account – this means not only will you not be able to see your bookshelf, your reports etc. but you are actually breaking the TOS. You are only allowed ONE KDP account. One. If you do accidentally create a second account then contact support and explain – ask them to remove it. People have had their accounts terminated for multiple accounts.
You MUST provide your legal name and address when you set it up. This is for tax purposes, and payment purposes. Even if you decide to use a pen name you have to provide your real name (more about pen names in a little bit). Don’t forget this is a LEGAL contract. You must declare any earnings to your country’s tax office, and unless you want to get stung for 30% with-holding to the US IRS you must provide an EIN or your relevant tax codes. This is a rule for any business that sells in the States – not just Amazon. They have no choice. It is also the case for Createspace, ACX, Smashwords, Lulu and any other publishing platform. In fact if you were selling books via your website you’d still have to legally provide this. Of course – if you don’t that is your business – but don’t say you haven’t been warned.
You can access your account details -if you move house/change banks etc) by clicking on ‘Bob’s Account’ or whatever your name might be.
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=AE2UUB8RKZIHN – tax information
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A1OYOT0ESBAU69 – account help
Pen names:
Once you have set up an account, registered your tax number, bank account etc and are ready to publish you can select a DIFFERENT author name if you wish to publish as M Mouse, or D Duck. The first tab you see on your KDP page is BOOKSHELF. This is where you upload your manuscript, cover art, and set the metadata. CREATE A NEW TITLE then follow the steps. If you do wish to use a pen name simply add in the required name – this will attach to your author page and should match the book cover. You can have up to three author pages. Some people like to do this for different genres.
If you co-write only ONE of you can have the book attached to your account, but the other authors can claim it via author central.
Author Central:
https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/
Author central is, basically, your author home page where readers can learn about you, see what other books you have and such like. It’s worth setting up a page. (Annoyingly you have to do one per store….)
Don’t forget to claim your books by clicking on bibliography and the typing the ASIN or title of your book and the ‘this is my book’ when it brings up the correct one. Sometimes they automatically attach themselves, sometimes they don’t so it’s worth checking. You can direct fans to your author page. You can also view your recent reviews (see previous on reviews). Here’s mine –
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandra-Butcher/e/B008BQFCC6/
Sales and Orders (again)
I went through this on the last post but I’ll say it again. If the sales you think you’ve had aren’t showing up then either you’re looking in the wrong place or they weren’t sales.
Ignore the graph – that’s ORDERS and collates them all. The reports state actual sales BY STORE. Most indies don’t sell a lot. Sad but true. There are millions of books on offer and it is very hard to get noticed. That said don’t be discouraged- with time, effort and patience your book will start to sell eventually. Decide why you write and what you want and measure success by that. Success is relative. Be realistic – if you have one book then you may not ever sell that many, so write more, blog, do the marketing etc and go with it.
Most of the indies who make a decent living form their books have lots of books, have been in the business for ages and spend a lot of time promoting, blogging, interviewing etc. And some are just lucky. I often see newbies coming on the forums upset because their book is not the latest bestseller. Honestly they expected that? Every author hopes his or her book is the best thing ever but every book can’t be the best….
Let me tell you a story – when I was writing book I my mother was terminally ill with the cancer she’d fought for 18 years. The book was published in June and she passed away in September. Honestly I probably published a bit early but I really wanted Mum to see it. Anyway I produce the first edition (with the old cover) and took one to show her, hoping it would cheer her up. It did, of course. This was a woman who was in pain, knew she only had a few weeks left, and was largely bedbound. Yet she smiled when she saw it. She told all the family, all the neighbours, all the carers. Everyone. It didn’t save her (nothing could by then) but it made her happy, and proud. It gave her something else to focus on. I’ll never forget the look on her face when she held the book. That, to me, is success. THAT makes it worth it. Success is relative.
Writing that book helped me through that awful time, and give me some something else to focus on as well. It gave me peace. Decide why you write – is it for yourself, for the story or to make money? If it’s option 3 you may well be disappointed, if it is option 1 or 2 then you won’t.
