David George Richards's Blog, page 6
May 6, 2013
May 2013 Review
May marks the beginning of the fourteenth year of my website. This is interesting for a number of reasons, not just relating to writing or the internet, but also to the 21st Century and growing up in general.
Why is it that when you look back it feels like the time has gone by so quickly? And yet it took so long to actually live it at the time. I grew up in the Sixties as an avid viewer of all the Gerry Anderson puppet series, from Supercar to Captain Scarlett. In a way these shaped my interest in Science Fiction as much as Star Trek or Dr Who, maybe more so. As a result they instilled wonderment and an excitement in the very idea of living in the 21st Century where all these stories were set. I am now into the fourteenth year of the 21st Century and unfortunately, it isn't that exciting after all! No Zero X and no Martian Rock Snakes. Even Gerry himself has left us. I am very sad and disappointed. I also feel immensely distant and disconnected from that time, almost as if it wasn't mine, but someone else’s life.
Despite my sadness and disappointment, this century contains many successes, including all of my active publishing. I did do quite a bit of writing in my early years and after I was made redundant from work in the Nineties. But it wasn't until I switched from a typewriter to a PC that I really started to write in earnest. That resulted in my first publishing experiences at around 2005.
Like many aspiring writers I am very familiar with the reject letters from publishers. And although I got to know some of the editors at some of the large publishing houses, and got good feedback from them at the time, I never got any further. Then along came Publish America.
I didn't know much about Publish America when I first contracted with them for The Friendly Ambassador, and I won't go into any of that now. All I knew at the time was that they had said yes when all before had said no. It was because of them that the book was split into four volumes, as it amounted to over thirteen hundred pages all in. I had a good experience with the publishing process with PA, I was involved in the interior layout and the cover design and was very happy with the end results. It was also at this time that I entered into 3D Graphic Art in order to be able to create the cover images used on this book and nearly all of my other titles. In the end, Publish America contracted two volumes from The Friendly Ambassador, but then declined any further volumes, mainly I think because I am based in the UK, but I suppose I will never really know. But by then my teeth were well and truly cut. I knew exactly how to format the interior files for a book and how to set up the cover with a specific spine width. I also knew how to create images to go on that cover using cutting edge CGI figures and props from DazStudio, Poser and Bryce. By the time BookSurge merged with CreateSpace I had ten books published, all formatted and set out how I wanted them with covers I had created. I had complete control, Mr Bond. Sorry, that just came out because I couldn't help it.
Seven years is a long time for a publishing contract, but both books are now back with me. And now I find that the emergence of digital publishing means that the paperback editions are secondary. Does that mean that the traditional publishing houses will go the way of those Martian Rock Snakes? Maybe, maybe not. But it was something I would never have considered when I was reading all those reject letters back in the last century. It also didn't occur to me while watching Thunderbirds either.
See you next time.
Why is it that when you look back it feels like the time has gone by so quickly? And yet it took so long to actually live it at the time. I grew up in the Sixties as an avid viewer of all the Gerry Anderson puppet series, from Supercar to Captain Scarlett. In a way these shaped my interest in Science Fiction as much as Star Trek or Dr Who, maybe more so. As a result they instilled wonderment and an excitement in the very idea of living in the 21st Century where all these stories were set. I am now into the fourteenth year of the 21st Century and unfortunately, it isn't that exciting after all! No Zero X and no Martian Rock Snakes. Even Gerry himself has left us. I am very sad and disappointed. I also feel immensely distant and disconnected from that time, almost as if it wasn't mine, but someone else’s life.
Despite my sadness and disappointment, this century contains many successes, including all of my active publishing. I did do quite a bit of writing in my early years and after I was made redundant from work in the Nineties. But it wasn't until I switched from a typewriter to a PC that I really started to write in earnest. That resulted in my first publishing experiences at around 2005.
Like many aspiring writers I am very familiar with the reject letters from publishers. And although I got to know some of the editors at some of the large publishing houses, and got good feedback from them at the time, I never got any further. Then along came Publish America.
I didn't know much about Publish America when I first contracted with them for The Friendly Ambassador, and I won't go into any of that now. All I knew at the time was that they had said yes when all before had said no. It was because of them that the book was split into four volumes, as it amounted to over thirteen hundred pages all in. I had a good experience with the publishing process with PA, I was involved in the interior layout and the cover design and was very happy with the end results. It was also at this time that I entered into 3D Graphic Art in order to be able to create the cover images used on this book and nearly all of my other titles. In the end, Publish America contracted two volumes from The Friendly Ambassador, but then declined any further volumes, mainly I think because I am based in the UK, but I suppose I will never really know. But by then my teeth were well and truly cut. I knew exactly how to format the interior files for a book and how to set up the cover with a specific spine width. I also knew how to create images to go on that cover using cutting edge CGI figures and props from DazStudio, Poser and Bryce. By the time BookSurge merged with CreateSpace I had ten books published, all formatted and set out how I wanted them with covers I had created. I had complete control, Mr Bond. Sorry, that just came out because I couldn't help it.
Seven years is a long time for a publishing contract, but both books are now back with me. And now I find that the emergence of digital publishing means that the paperback editions are secondary. Does that mean that the traditional publishing houses will go the way of those Martian Rock Snakes? Maybe, maybe not. But it was something I would never have considered when I was reading all those reject letters back in the last century. It also didn't occur to me while watching Thunderbirds either.
See you next time.
April 6, 2013
April 2013 Review
I didn't notice any notable April Fools pranks this year, although some may say the Amazon takeover of Goodreads might qualify. Unfortunately it isn't a prank and the deal will apparently go through soon. Am I upset or even just concerned about this? Well, actually I am not sure. I like Amazon as they were my first outlet for book sales. I chose to publish with BookSurge and I still have a couple of books in progress with CreateSpace. I also published all my books as eBooks in both Kindle and MobiPocket. So although I might not like the exclusivity clause for the Kindle Select programme, I am happy with Amazon. I also spent some time on the Amazon forums in my early days, but that is quite a long time ago now.
At one time I used to limit my socialising to the science fiction or other Kindle associated forums on Amazon. But the problem with authors spamming books almost everywhere lead to the infamous Meet Our Authors forum. I have to say that like many readers I had gotten pretty fed up with that long before the enforced change, and I am an author of books. I was one of many authors who only promoted in the threads provided for that purpose, but we were in the minority and things were getting way out of control. Eventually I just stayed within one or two threads only, one of which was the Wheel Spinners thread. I still sometimes read the latest posts there, but I have generally lost touch with it all.
I am far more comfortable on Goodreads. And although I don't post a lot, I do belong to a number of Goodreads groups and I do contribute from time to time in my small way. So I wouldn't want things to change. Hopefully they won't. But there is a worry or two about the integrity of reviews in the future, whether authors would even be allowed to review books here, and whether the current level playing field for all the available eReaders will be maintained. I think that if these worries are dealt with in a positive way most people will be happy to continue as normal. I probably fit into that category.
One thing that does get me is that Goodreads became what it is due to a vast number of volunteer librarians who worked their butts off last year dealing with the Amazon data feed restrictions. And now that their butts are well and truly worked off, the Amazon feed is coming back and the owners of Goodreads appear to have made a great deal of money out of the sale of the site. How come all those volunteer librarians didn't get a cut of the deal? In my opinion they should have. As an author I have librarian status, but I wouldn't rate my efforts against many of theirs as worth a penny. You probably know the librarians I mean. They post everywhere and help everyone who needs it almost every day. They deserve to get something out of this Amazon deal, but they won't. And I think that is at the root of what upsets me about it the most.
To coin a phrase from the books of a well known science fiction author: TANJ.
See you next time.
At one time I used to limit my socialising to the science fiction or other Kindle associated forums on Amazon. But the problem with authors spamming books almost everywhere lead to the infamous Meet Our Authors forum. I have to say that like many readers I had gotten pretty fed up with that long before the enforced change, and I am an author of books. I was one of many authors who only promoted in the threads provided for that purpose, but we were in the minority and things were getting way out of control. Eventually I just stayed within one or two threads only, one of which was the Wheel Spinners thread. I still sometimes read the latest posts there, but I have generally lost touch with it all.
I am far more comfortable on Goodreads. And although I don't post a lot, I do belong to a number of Goodreads groups and I do contribute from time to time in my small way. So I wouldn't want things to change. Hopefully they won't. But there is a worry or two about the integrity of reviews in the future, whether authors would even be allowed to review books here, and whether the current level playing field for all the available eReaders will be maintained. I think that if these worries are dealt with in a positive way most people will be happy to continue as normal. I probably fit into that category.
One thing that does get me is that Goodreads became what it is due to a vast number of volunteer librarians who worked their butts off last year dealing with the Amazon data feed restrictions. And now that their butts are well and truly worked off, the Amazon feed is coming back and the owners of Goodreads appear to have made a great deal of money out of the sale of the site. How come all those volunteer librarians didn't get a cut of the deal? In my opinion they should have. As an author I have librarian status, but I wouldn't rate my efforts against many of theirs as worth a penny. You probably know the librarians I mean. They post everywhere and help everyone who needs it almost every day. They deserve to get something out of this Amazon deal, but they won't. And I think that is at the root of what upsets me about it the most.
To coin a phrase from the books of a well known science fiction author: TANJ.
See you next time.
March 4, 2013
March 2013 Review
It's March and as usual I am taking part in Read An E-Book Week at Smashwords. From March 3rd until March 9th all my ebooks (apart from those that are free) will be at half price using the coupon code REW50. I am not sure where they are, but they are in there somewhere. So if you are interested, pop over to Smashwords and use a coupon. There are a lot of other authors taking part as well, again as usual, so it is worth a look anyway. Everyone loves a bargain and you never know what you might find.
Some of you may or may not have noticed that the Apple iTunes widgets on the List Page on my website were not working properly. I didn't notice that for a while. Apple have changed the widget, so I have now updated the code and the book links work properly again. Previously the descriptions showed okay, but the links didn't work. Now they do.
Apart from that, there isn't much else going on in my writing world. I am not reading either, which is also a bad sign. But I am working, which is a good sign.
Isn't real life boring?
See you next time.
Some of you may or may not have noticed that the Apple iTunes widgets on the List Page on my website were not working properly. I didn't notice that for a while. Apple have changed the widget, so I have now updated the code and the book links work properly again. Previously the descriptions showed okay, but the links didn't work. Now they do.
Apart from that, there isn't much else going on in my writing world. I am not reading either, which is also a bad sign. But I am working, which is a good sign.
Isn't real life boring?
See you next time.
February 10, 2013
February 2013 Review
The year is moving on as all years do, and February has arrived once again. I sort of look forward to February with the same anticipation as I do for Christmas in December, and again, just like Christmas, my birthday on Valentine's Day is celebrated by everyone else. Why is it never just about me? With that selfish thought I have to admit that it is probably being born on Valentine's Day that has given me an interest in Romance. I always have romantic elements in my books and stories, and I always feature women prominently. Does that make me girly? Who knows?
As expected, work has indeed added to my distractions. Even my other hobbies have suffered. This is because what I do for a living I sort of enjoy. My new job involves CAD work, and as you may or may not know, anything that involves 3D or creating models gets my attention. I have even been referred to as a CAD Monkey, and I have to admit that it sort of fits. I can stay playing on my computer round the clock, until the pangs of hunger or the need for the toilet drags me away. Or I just fall asleep with my head dropping onto the keyboard. Creating models and playing with them on screen is an addiction for me. There, I have said it, I am out of the closet. In comparison, writing just doesn't do it for me anymore. The magic of imagining and creating characters and long twisted plots and then putting it all down on the page used to dominate my waking and sleeping thoughts. Now those times are empty, or filled with other mundane things. Or 3D modelling.
I received my first cheque from Amazon this month, which was a welcome surprise. Not that I haven't been paid for my writing work before, Smashwords has paid me each quarter for over a year now. So at least I can say that my writing has paid off in at least a small way.
See you next time.
As expected, work has indeed added to my distractions. Even my other hobbies have suffered. This is because what I do for a living I sort of enjoy. My new job involves CAD work, and as you may or may not know, anything that involves 3D or creating models gets my attention. I have even been referred to as a CAD Monkey, and I have to admit that it sort of fits. I can stay playing on my computer round the clock, until the pangs of hunger or the need for the toilet drags me away. Or I just fall asleep with my head dropping onto the keyboard. Creating models and playing with them on screen is an addiction for me. There, I have said it, I am out of the closet. In comparison, writing just doesn't do it for me anymore. The magic of imagining and creating characters and long twisted plots and then putting it all down on the page used to dominate my waking and sleeping thoughts. Now those times are empty, or filled with other mundane things. Or 3D modelling.
I received my first cheque from Amazon this month, which was a welcome surprise. Not that I haven't been paid for my writing work before, Smashwords has paid me each quarter for over a year now. So at least I can say that my writing has paid off in at least a small way.
See you next time.
January 14, 2013
January 2013 New Year Review
Christmas was quiet and not as cold as I thought it would be, although that seems to be changing at the moment. It was followed by a New Year with the odd and unexpected early surprise. For example, I found myself back in the work saddle after quite a long lay off, and with a company local to me, which is always welcome. What wasn't welcome was the sudden return to early morning starts just when the weather turned colder! Typical of me not to find a job in Summer. The hardest part though is getting the wife used to not having me around as much. We had settled into a comfy routine, and now it is all disturbed by alarm clocks and early departures followed by absence and then evening returns, showers and later dinners. Then it is bed time. Who'd want to work for a living, eh? Maybe I should try being a writer!
With work adding to my distractions, along with my other little hobbies, it looks bleak for my writing. To say that I had fallen out of love with writing some time ago would be an understatement. I haven't written anything in quite some considerable time, and I haven't had the urge to either. I also haven't missed it, so it is extremely likely that my writing days are behind me. Shame, but there you are. But that doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on them and do the odd update or two where needed. It is just that the original urgency and excitement has gone.
I still take pleasure in seeing and knowing that my stories are out there, and that occasionally someone might read one of them. So I monitor rankings and any sales at the various retail sites, and I check the odd reviews that are posted. And I try to make sure they are available everywhere and there are no problems. And I keep my website up to date. And that's it.
So, my New Year's resolution? "It's Life, Jim! Just as we know it!"
Oh, and I bought my wife a Kindle for Christmas.
See you next time.
With work adding to my distractions, along with my other little hobbies, it looks bleak for my writing. To say that I had fallen out of love with writing some time ago would be an understatement. I haven't written anything in quite some considerable time, and I haven't had the urge to either. I also haven't missed it, so it is extremely likely that my writing days are behind me. Shame, but there you are. But that doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on them and do the odd update or two where needed. It is just that the original urgency and excitement has gone.
I still take pleasure in seeing and knowing that my stories are out there, and that occasionally someone might read one of them. So I monitor rankings and any sales at the various retail sites, and I check the odd reviews that are posted. And I try to make sure they are available everywhere and there are no problems. And I keep my website up to date. And that's it.
So, my New Year's resolution? "It's Life, Jim! Just as we know it!"
Oh, and I bought my wife a Kindle for Christmas.
See you next time.
December 8, 2012
December 2012 Christmas Review
Well, it's that time of year again. Christmas is just around the corner and everything is getting festive —and cold! I am sort of getting ready for Christmas, nothing special or formal, never really been into that, just getting ready to settle down for some family togetherness. For me that usually involves just the wife and I. At one time there would be the wider family, but I am of an age now (55) that means many of the older family members are not here anymore. And of course, those of the same generation to me are now flung far and wide. So it will be just the wife and I. But I think I probably now prefer that. It is more relaxed as it is only ourselves we need to please and feed!
On the publishing and writing front, my ebooks continue to move slowly on a number of sites. No big sellers, although the two available for free obviously get the greater number of downloads. But they are moving sedately and that is far more than they did in the first few years. The reason for this change? Smashwords.
I didn't join up with Smashwords until the end of 2011. This was a mistake as I had been with Kindle for over a year before that, and although I had wanted to get on Nook, being in the UK meant that wasn't possible at the time. Smashwords opened the door to many more online retail sites and made it laughably easy to get my ebooks on Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo and the rest almost overnight. I had been extremely short sighted in not pursuing a relationship with Smashwords right at the start. Of course it takes time to become aware of things, and as a self-published author you learn as you go. But I truly believe I wasted that time with my ebooks only on Amazon. Smashwords has been a font of knowledge and information. It is also the most valuable tool a self-published author can have, simply because of it's reach. My books are everywhere, on a variety of eReaders and in a multitude of formats in counties all over the world. And of course I also publish through Google Play. Visibility is the most important thing for an author with none. And that has always been me. But that doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed my time on Amazon.
Without Amazon's Kindle I wouldn't have had anything. Some of my books have been on Amazon since 2005, and I still maintain nine trade paperback versions of my books on Amazon. Apart from the two Publish America books, these were all originally published through BookSurge and then CreateSpace. But I also have one published through Feed A Read in the UK. This was something I was going to pursue for all of my books until CreateSpace finally started distributing books beyond Amazon.com. As for my two PA books, the second one has now come out of it's seven year contract. But although I republished the first one in trade paperback through CreateSpace, I am not sure if I will do the same with the second one. The reason? It's no longer worth it.
So far, over the history of my book publishing experience, I have sold only a very small handful of actual trade paperbacks. In contrast my ebooks sell more each month than my total trade paperback sales. So that tells me I should stick to ebooks as my main publishing tool. Sad, as I like to see my books as real books in my hands, and this last PA one will now be missing. But having people read the book is more important than the packaging. People have bought and read, and are buying and reading the ebook version. Can't argue with that.
So I am happy with my Amazon experience. They helped me get into ebook publishing. I will always stick with Amazon and I feel like I am part of the greater Amazon family. No question of that. I read ebooks using the Kindle for PC application, I browse and buy Kindle ebooks through Amazon. But it was KDP Select that urged me to publish through Smashwords. Exclusivity I do not like. I value my visibility. I am poor at marketing, can't afford advertising, hopeless at social media, hate Twitter, and don't really have the time for Facebook even though I have two book pages with them. And although my favourite place to hang out is now here at Goodreads, I don't really comment much here either. For me Exclusivity means going back to just having a print book at the bottom of the several million book list on Amazon. For me, Exclusivity=Invisibility. So...
Happy Christmas Amazon! Happy Christmas Smashwords! I need you both. Please play nicely (that means you, Ammy!).
To everyone, have a safe, happy and warm Christmas! See you all in the New Year!
On the publishing and writing front, my ebooks continue to move slowly on a number of sites. No big sellers, although the two available for free obviously get the greater number of downloads. But they are moving sedately and that is far more than they did in the first few years. The reason for this change? Smashwords.
I didn't join up with Smashwords until the end of 2011. This was a mistake as I had been with Kindle for over a year before that, and although I had wanted to get on Nook, being in the UK meant that wasn't possible at the time. Smashwords opened the door to many more online retail sites and made it laughably easy to get my ebooks on Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo and the rest almost overnight. I had been extremely short sighted in not pursuing a relationship with Smashwords right at the start. Of course it takes time to become aware of things, and as a self-published author you learn as you go. But I truly believe I wasted that time with my ebooks only on Amazon. Smashwords has been a font of knowledge and information. It is also the most valuable tool a self-published author can have, simply because of it's reach. My books are everywhere, on a variety of eReaders and in a multitude of formats in counties all over the world. And of course I also publish through Google Play. Visibility is the most important thing for an author with none. And that has always been me. But that doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed my time on Amazon.
Without Amazon's Kindle I wouldn't have had anything. Some of my books have been on Amazon since 2005, and I still maintain nine trade paperback versions of my books on Amazon. Apart from the two Publish America books, these were all originally published through BookSurge and then CreateSpace. But I also have one published through Feed A Read in the UK. This was something I was going to pursue for all of my books until CreateSpace finally started distributing books beyond Amazon.com. As for my two PA books, the second one has now come out of it's seven year contract. But although I republished the first one in trade paperback through CreateSpace, I am not sure if I will do the same with the second one. The reason? It's no longer worth it.
So far, over the history of my book publishing experience, I have sold only a very small handful of actual trade paperbacks. In contrast my ebooks sell more each month than my total trade paperback sales. So that tells me I should stick to ebooks as my main publishing tool. Sad, as I like to see my books as real books in my hands, and this last PA one will now be missing. But having people read the book is more important than the packaging. People have bought and read, and are buying and reading the ebook version. Can't argue with that.
So I am happy with my Amazon experience. They helped me get into ebook publishing. I will always stick with Amazon and I feel like I am part of the greater Amazon family. No question of that. I read ebooks using the Kindle for PC application, I browse and buy Kindle ebooks through Amazon. But it was KDP Select that urged me to publish through Smashwords. Exclusivity I do not like. I value my visibility. I am poor at marketing, can't afford advertising, hopeless at social media, hate Twitter, and don't really have the time for Facebook even though I have two book pages with them. And although my favourite place to hang out is now here at Goodreads, I don't really comment much here either. For me Exclusivity means going back to just having a print book at the bottom of the several million book list on Amazon. For me, Exclusivity=Invisibility. So...
Happy Christmas Amazon! Happy Christmas Smashwords! I need you both. Please play nicely (that means you, Ammy!).
To everyone, have a safe, happy and warm Christmas! See you all in the New Year!
November 3, 2012
November 2012 Review
This month, Barnes & Noble launched their Nook eReader and online eBookstore in the UK in partnership with a number of UK retailers. You can read more about it here on the Smashwords Blog. As a result of this I have added all the new ebook links for my titles on uk.Nook.com to my website. So you can now buy my ebooks on Nook in the UK.
The arrival of Nook in the UK marks a return of UK specific book links to my website after a number of years. At one time I had a dedicated UK version of my website that was hosted on a UK server. The idea was to maintain a site on both sides of the Atlantic. For quite a few years I kept both websites up to date. But it became clear that most of the attention, and readers, that I had were in the USA. And most of my web presence was on Amazon and other websites in the US as well, such as here on Goodreads. It is rather typical that I had more success in the US than in the UK where I live. So I gave up on my UK site and just maintained a single website for all. But I still keep the booksandstories.co.uk domain names and simply have them link to the .com site.
Despite my concentration on the US market, my trade paperback books and Kindle ebooks have always been available in the UK through Amazon.co.uk, but there was at first little transfer of information from the Amazon.com site. For example, my two free ebooks are price matched at zero on Amazon.com, but not on Amazon.co.uk. This has been gradually changing and improving over time, and now that Barnes & Noble have entered the UK market with all of my titles on Nook, my free ebooks might soon actually be available for free in the UK as well. Kobo, Sony and Apple also have a presence in the UK, with the Kobo eReader being available at WH Smiths. But after Amazon, Barnes & Noble is the biggest hitter in the eReader and ebook field. So it will be interesting to see how the UK public take to the Kindle, Kobo and Nook.
Christmas should be fun for someone, somewhere!
See you next month!
The arrival of Nook in the UK marks a return of UK specific book links to my website after a number of years. At one time I had a dedicated UK version of my website that was hosted on a UK server. The idea was to maintain a site on both sides of the Atlantic. For quite a few years I kept both websites up to date. But it became clear that most of the attention, and readers, that I had were in the USA. And most of my web presence was on Amazon and other websites in the US as well, such as here on Goodreads. It is rather typical that I had more success in the US than in the UK where I live. So I gave up on my UK site and just maintained a single website for all. But I still keep the booksandstories.co.uk domain names and simply have them link to the .com site.
Despite my concentration on the US market, my trade paperback books and Kindle ebooks have always been available in the UK through Amazon.co.uk, but there was at first little transfer of information from the Amazon.com site. For example, my two free ebooks are price matched at zero on Amazon.com, but not on Amazon.co.uk. This has been gradually changing and improving over time, and now that Barnes & Noble have entered the UK market with all of my titles on Nook, my free ebooks might soon actually be available for free in the UK as well. Kobo, Sony and Apple also have a presence in the UK, with the Kobo eReader being available at WH Smiths. But after Amazon, Barnes & Noble is the biggest hitter in the eReader and ebook field. So it will be interesting to see how the UK public take to the Kindle, Kobo and Nook.
Christmas should be fun for someone, somewhere!
See you next month!
October 5, 2012
October 2012 Review
October is one of those strange months. It isn't quite Autumn and it isn't quite Winter. Or that's how it feels here in the UK. Most years October can be quite pleasant, the famous Indian Summer period for a late bright spell. It doesn't last though, because the official end to Summer comes during the last weekend when the clocks go back, British Summer Time ends and we are all back on GMT. That is quickly followed by Halloween and then the infamous Bombfire Night on the 5th of November. Once these two events are over it is all downhill to Christmas!
October also has a special and personal meaning for me. During the second week of October twenty-four years ago I got married. And although it rained a little on the day, the small amount just made it more romantic. We even have a photo with the driver of our Rolls in his grey uniform holding a large umbrella over us both as we were being photographed in a park outside the venue for the reception. The wedding was also the day before the birthday of my bride to be, who was 21 the morning after. So this month is a double celebration month each year. Next year of course is a biggie, our twenty-fifth. But this year is a good milestone just on its own.
I use a picture of my wife as my avatar on the Amazon forums. It's a miniature of the picture I use as the background for my desktop on my computer. I have thought of using this picture as the cover for “The Look of Love” if I ever decide to update it, as the look in my wife's eyes in the photograph represent the sentiments described in the book. It's just that look. Unfortunately it was a look directed at the professional photographer at the time!
From my wedding in 1988 until now I would consider to be my adult period. Prior to that I had written things but never published them. I had worked but also played a lot. During the time since then I have worked a lot too, but I also worked at my favourite hobbies, writing being the uppermost but not the only one. I did many things and went to many places, but this was my most productive time, writing wise. And the fact that I should talk about it in the past tense is recognition of the fact that I will probably never write as much, or as imaginatively, as I did then.
I guess the Honeymoon period is over!
See you next month!
October also has a special and personal meaning for me. During the second week of October twenty-four years ago I got married. And although it rained a little on the day, the small amount just made it more romantic. We even have a photo with the driver of our Rolls in his grey uniform holding a large umbrella over us both as we were being photographed in a park outside the venue for the reception. The wedding was also the day before the birthday of my bride to be, who was 21 the morning after. So this month is a double celebration month each year. Next year of course is a biggie, our twenty-fifth. But this year is a good milestone just on its own.
I use a picture of my wife as my avatar on the Amazon forums. It's a miniature of the picture I use as the background for my desktop on my computer. I have thought of using this picture as the cover for “The Look of Love” if I ever decide to update it, as the look in my wife's eyes in the photograph represent the sentiments described in the book. It's just that look. Unfortunately it was a look directed at the professional photographer at the time!
From my wedding in 1988 until now I would consider to be my adult period. Prior to that I had written things but never published them. I had worked but also played a lot. During the time since then I have worked a lot too, but I also worked at my favourite hobbies, writing being the uppermost but not the only one. I did many things and went to many places, but this was my most productive time, writing wise. And the fact that I should talk about it in the past tense is recognition of the fact that I will probably never write as much, or as imaginatively, as I did then.
I guess the Honeymoon period is over!
See you next month!
September 8, 2012
September 2012 Review
After the highs of the last two months both “A Fine Woman” and “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” are settling down to being just comfortable with decent downloads each month. “A Fine Woman” is still tops with the most downloads, and it has a fair number of reviews, which is also good. “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” follows on at a discrete distance, and even though it has received far less attention than my Romance, these downloads have also led to several purchases of the other three books in the series. So this is good too.
The only other changes in the pipeline have been the additional retailers added to those already supplied by Smashwords. So that should increase the visibility of my titles a little more. At the moment I am seeing downloads and some sales at Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo and Diesel, although the latter two seem to take longer to provide actual sales details. And of course I am seeing sales and reviews on Amazon. And that can't be bad.
And apart from that there isn't much more going on, which means I have more time for real life. Oh, goody, not that I prefer it that way! So thanks again to all those who download or purchase any of my books, it is greatly appreciated!
See you next month!
The only other changes in the pipeline have been the additional retailers added to those already supplied by Smashwords. So that should increase the visibility of my titles a little more. At the moment I am seeing downloads and some sales at Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo and Diesel, although the latter two seem to take longer to provide actual sales details. And of course I am seeing sales and reviews on Amazon. And that can't be bad.
And apart from that there isn't much more going on, which means I have more time for real life. Oh, goody, not that I prefer it that way! So thanks again to all those who download or purchase any of my books, it is greatly appreciated!
See you next month!
August 7, 2012
August 2012 Review
Last month's Smashword's Summer Winter Promotion is now over. It was good fun and I had a couple of sales or two, but nothing spectacular. But it was still good fun and I am sure many readers picked up a few bargains.
With both “A Fine Woman” and “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” at zero price in the Amazon Kindle store I have seen quite a few downloads for these two books as well. In fact “A Fine Woman” got a lot of attention after it was featured on Ereader News Today as one of their four Free Kindle Books for 7-28-12. It seems to have been well received so far judging by the reviews that have been posted as well.
Although “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” has also seen a fair few downloads, it is far less popular than my free Romance. But having said that, the other three books in the Friendly Ambassador series have also been picked up a few times as well, so those that are reading the first one seem to be interested enough to pick up the others. So that has to be a plus.
So for everyone who did download one of my free books, or one of my paid ones, I thank you, and I hope you enjoyed them. And thank you very much also to Ereader News Today!
See you next month!
With both “A Fine Woman” and “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” at zero price in the Amazon Kindle store I have seen quite a few downloads for these two books as well. In fact “A Fine Woman” got a lot of attention after it was featured on Ereader News Today as one of their four Free Kindle Books for 7-28-12. It seems to have been well received so far judging by the reviews that have been posted as well.
Although “The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End” has also seen a fair few downloads, it is far less popular than my free Romance. But having said that, the other three books in the Friendly Ambassador series have also been picked up a few times as well, so those that are reading the first one seem to be interested enough to pick up the others. So that has to be a plus.
So for everyone who did download one of my free books, or one of my paid ones, I thank you, and I hope you enjoyed them. And thank you very much also to Ereader News Today!
See you next month!
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