David Pandolfe's Blog, page 2

NaNoWriMo (finally, sort of)

A year ago, I reported how it feels like every time NaNoWriMo comes around I’m in the editing phase. That was true, for some weird reason, a few years running. I know what you’re thinking – that it was just an excuse and I could have stopped editing and dashed off a new 50,000 word manuscript that month before returning to my work in progress. Actually, you might be right and that did occur to me as a way to participate.  But I’ve also figured in the past that it probably made more sense to get the new book done and out there as soon as possible, especially since I didn’t have that many, even if it meant missing out on all the fun. Which might also be interpreted as meaning I was intimidated at the prospect of writing that much in 30 days and afraid of not meeting the goal. I’m going with I needed to finish my edits since this is my blog.

In the past, I’ve also written more slowly so writing 50,000 words seemed much more intimidating. While it seems like a couple of years ago I would have been happy with a 500-word day, these days I’m shooting for more like 2,000 each day (yesterday was especially productive with over 3,000). That’s not to say it’s not a lot of work to write a first draft of a novel in 30 days. I’d still consider that a pretty amazing achievement. But nowadays I might finish a draft in two to three months when it used to take me half a year or even more.

Anyway, fast forward a year and November rolls around again (okay, it’s closer to ending but I meant to write this post weeks ago). I suddenly realize that, this time around, I’m actually in the writing phase for once. So, technically (if unofficially) I guess I’ve been participating in NaNoWriMo! One minor problem, though – I started work in October so I’ve sort of been cheating since I was already around 10,000 words in. Then it occurred to me that if I can hit a goal of 60,000 words by month’s end I’ll have finally joined the party. Will that happen? Maybe. I mean, it could since I’m at 44,000 words now. Then again, I might realize that the book concludes at a slightly shorter word count. Would that be cheating too?

I’ll be sure to post here if I make my goal. If I don’t, I absolutely won’t post anything here since I’ll feel like a loser but you’ll still be able to read between the lines (of course, I’ll be hoping no one notices). All of this was to say that, for the first time ever, I’m participating in NaNoWriMo. Sort of, while cheating. But I’m with you in spirit, guys! And, honestly, good luck to everyone out there who truly is participating. I admire you.

Dragonfly Season audiobook (and other reasons to like October)

I’ve always really liked October. For one thing, Halloween is way up there as one of my favorite holidays. How can you not like a day when you get to dress weirdly and eat loads of candy? Well, I do that fairly often, actually, but I definitely do it on Halloween. Richmond is also a place with hot summers and, typically, pretty warm falls, so I have no problem with things cooling off and trees starting to show some fall colors. In general, I just like October.

This October has been especially good. For one thing, the audiobook version of The Dragonfly Season: Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2 is now available on Audible and iTunes! It just came out this week and it’s been a total pleasure working with actor, Kerrie Seymour, who both produced and narrated. I mentioned it before, but it’s worth sayng again. I totally knew Kerrie was perfect for voicing Lauren literally within seconds of hearing her audition. She did a fantastic job on this audiobook. And….Kerrie has already agreed to produce and narrate the audiobook version of Distance: Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3! That one is already in the works, so there’s even more to be excited about coming soon. But, for now, what could be better than listening to a good book while munching on all your candy? So, you gain a few pounds. You’ll work that weight right off again raking leaves. Right? Of course you will.

As I posted about last week, Distance: Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3, also came out this month for Kindle and print.  Note the fall colors the old bus is sporting this time around (a happy coincidence, as it turns out). The latest book in the series saw a nice new release launch, becoming an Amazon “Hot New Release” and “Best Rated” book in the Psychic Suspense category. That was really nice to see ( and note the witch’s legs in that photo on the left–how’s that for another happy coincidence?).

So, it’s been a great month and I still have candy and general Halloween weirdness to look forward to. Not to mention, there’s also “Happy Wholloween” coming up for all of us Doctor Who fans. As mentioned before, Doctor Who is a bit of an obsession for my nerdy family and we all make a point of watching every Saturday night together (and on Christmas for the special too – we’re that obsessed).

Until we light up the jack-o-lanterns, I’ll be hunkered down working on Streetlights, book 4. So far, I’m pretty much in the drafting phase but I think it’s starting to shape up nicely. I’ll keep you all posted about that one as it comes together.

Well, that’s it for now and I hope you’re all enjoying October too. Have a happy Halloween and don’t forget to stock up on a little extra candy for yourselves. Or, you can always swipe a little from your kids when they’re not looking (don’t tell my kids I said that).

Distance (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3) – Official Launch Day!

It was only a few months ago that I posted here about the release of The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2). As soon as that one went out, I started working on Distance (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3). This new one came together quickly and I had a lot of fun writing it. These characters have become like family to me—and, while I tell myself I should start a new series soon and I plan to do just that—I keep enjoying the company of Jack, Lauren and all the others who’ve come to life since writing Streetlights Like Fireworks, that book I imagined as a stand-alone novel before readers convinced me otherwise (thank you, readers!). The last few months went by fast and Distance (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3) is out there, as of today!

Thanks again to all of you who offered to read and review the ARC version! Your reviews made a huge difference in making this book launch special so far!

Here’s what Jack and Lauren are up to this time:

A ghost who brings visions of fire. A runaway girl on the streets. A psychic who might be lying about someone’s death. It must be time for Jack and Lauren to get serious.

Ghosts, Lauren can handle. People, on the other hand, can be scary as hell. So when she finds herself visited by a young girl who’s clearly no longer of this world, Lauren is more intrigued than anything else. It’s only when this ongoing visitation coincides with receiving a psychic distress call from a girl who desperately wants to stay missing that Lauren becomes both curious and frightened.

Jack also connects with this same teenage runaway, in a moment he assumes to be nothing more than a fleeting psychic encounter. What he doesn’t realize is that this is the same girl Lauren has been searching for, even while he’s unknowingly left with an object that will allow him to connect with her again.

Soon, Lauren and Jack find themselves pitted against a ticking clock as they try to rescue a girl the police are searching for, at least one man is hunting, and who another psychic claims to have already seen dead.

Click here to snag a copy of   Distance (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 3). By the way, for this week the Kindle version will be $0.99 during the release launch.

Thanks to everyone who’s been a part of this book launch!

Update: Talk about good timing — the print copies just arrived this afternoon. Look at those beauties!

What’s been going on (and a bit of a dilemma)

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here but there’s some cool stuff going on so I figured it was time I updated things. The coolest thing going on right now is that I’m starting to receive the audio chapters for The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2). It’s a pleasure to have this one being recorded by Kerrie Seymour, who’s perfect for Lauren as the main character of this second book in the series. I knew she was right literally within seconds of hearing her audition (by that, I mean I was a few seconds into hearing her audition). She sounded exactly how I imagined Lauren sounding the entire time I’ve been writing her character for both books. So far, I just have the first few chapters but I really love it. The new audiobook will be available sometime next month, so I’ll be sure to post that here.

For any writers who might stop by, you might be curious about my first ever BookBub ad that ran for Streetlights Like Fireworks in July. I was really excited about this and now I know what all the fuss is about when it comes to getting accepted by BookBub. I waited a long time to get a BookBub ad but, as it turns out, the timing was perfect since The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2) had just come out two weeks before. I couldn’t have possibly planned something better than that. As a result, both books had a nice summer and the new book saw lots of sales. Both books stayed high in the Amazon rankings for almost two months too, #1 and #2 positions in their categories and they were also featured as Best Rated and Hot New Release. I hope this doesn’t sound like bragging. It was just seriously exciting and, as predicted in the last blog post, things settled down again by September. So, the BookBub trail for me lasted about six weeks, the first four being way stronger. Can I do that again, please?

As for other stuff going on, I’m almost done editing the third book in the Streetlights Like Fireworks series (title forthcoming). Writing this book has presented a bit of a dilemma for me. Thankfully, many people who enjoyed the first two books have been kind enough to let me know either through reviews or emails. I sometimes get the feeling that what many of these readers like about these two books is the relative innocence of Jack and Lauren, the two main characters, at least starting out. Which brings me to my dilemma. If characters don’t grow and change, not only would the story be unrealistic, it would also be boring. Jack and Lauren aren’t in high school anymore, they’re in college now. Stuff is going to happen between them. It just has to (and the writers out there might wonder at the wisdom of starting a YA series that morphs into a NA series, of sorts). Streetlights Like Fireworks is, among other things, primarily a romance. Sure, the series is about ghosts, psychics, missing persons and crime now too. But I’ve also had to more fully address some aspects of Jack’s and Lauren’s relationship (in YA books, it’s pretty easy to pretend things don’t go very far even if that’s often less than entirely plausible). It turned out to be interesting and, true to Jack and Lauren as characters, slightly unusual (no spoilers, of course). Basically, a bridge had to be built between Streetlights as a truly YA series and the NA series it will become going forward.

The series is also getting a bit darker and grittier across the board. The way I see it, as they grow as psychic characters, they’re bound to get involved in much more dark and dangerous situations than those portrayed in the first book, which was more mystery with a side of romance. Ultimately, I was faced with either leaving them as kids chasing mysteries during their late high school years (I briefly thought about that but decided against it) or staying with them as they grow to face new challenges and experiences as young adults. Streetlights Like Fireworks is still mostly in the YA realm, essentially. It remains plenty safe. It’s just not quite as safe as it used to be while remaining mostly in the PG-13 category. Still, I wonder if I’ll  lose some readers of the series who didn’t sign on for the more mature Jack and Lauren, as well as the edgier situations they encounter. I guess that might happen. Might I gain new readers? I hope so but I honestly have no idea. Either way, I’m excited about the new book being out soon and it’s been great hearing from people letting me know they want more of Jack and Lauren. I love writing those two character so it’s been my pleasure to provide further adventures.

Lastly, tonight is the season kickoff of Doctor Who, Season Nine. I’m mentioning this for no particular reason other than it has me in a good mood. Doctor Who is our family obsession so we’ve been looking forward to this since last spring. As you can see, we’ve officially lit the “Who lights” to celebrate.

So, that’s the update. I’ll be back to post soon when the new audio book comes out or if anything else noteworthy is going on. Hope you’re all having a great September!

Embrace the Seized Diem (Part 2)

I guess it was last January when I felt compelled to embrace the seized diem and share that the book I’d just released, Stepping into the Sky, had been featured as a Hot New Release on Amazon. It was an exciting first for me and, while for many more experienced writers it might be no big deal, I was amazed to see one of my books get the spotlight pointed its way, if even briefly.

Well, I’m seizing the day again to share something that just much blew me away last night, so much so that I ran upstairs carrying my laptop and told my family, “Guys, you have to see this!” What I’d just discovered was that Streetlights Like Fireworks  had gained the ranking of #1 Bestseller in Psychic Suspense and #1 Bestseller in Ghosts & Haunted Houses on Amazon. Not only that but Streetlights Like Fireworks was also featured as Top Rated. There was more. Before that, The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks 2) had also held the rankings of #1 Bestseller in Psychic Suspense and #1 Bestseller in Ghosts & Haunted Houses. Yes, it was a little weird to realize that the book keeping Streetlights Like Fireworks from the #1 spot was its follow-up book. Now, the Dragonfly Season was the #2 Bestseller in Psychic Suspense and Amazon was also featuring it as a Hot New Release in several categories. I was stunned to see my books gain the kind of visibility I’d heard other writers describe on the podcasts I obsessively listen to while driving each day. My exact thought was something like, “Holy crap, those are my books!”

If there’s anything I’ve learned by now, it’s that the publishing landscape is ever-shifting. The same goes for book popularity, of course. A book doing well today might not be doing quite so well tomorrow. Literally. While right now, these two books have (to me, the somewhat stunning) rankings in the #1,500 range on Amazon (yes, something else I’d only imagined before), I also realize they can sink at any time. By next week, I’ll likely be saying, “Eh, 5,000 is not so  bad” and then the following week, “Okay, well, #20,000 is okay too” and so on. I’m not pessimistic. I’ve just been at this long enough now to be realistic. There are a lot of books out there and, for now, a couple of mine are having some time in the sun. That’s as far as it goes, which is not to say I’m not totally elated. Believe me, I am.

So, I’m sharing because it’s another milestone on this journey I started somewhat blindly not long ago having no idea what to expect. And, months or years from now, maybe I’ll look back at blog archives, see this and remember the excitement I feel this weekend. It’s just a good feeling to know that people are enjoying my books.

So, that’s it. Day officially seized again. Time to crack that bottle of…well, beer, actually. Can’t afford champagne just yet but you never know what tomorrow will bring.

The Dragonfly Season (and some really good news)

Guess who’s hitting the road again this summer. Jack and Lauren in The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2)!

I had a lot of fun writing this one so thanks to those who read Streetlights Like Fireworks and then let me know through reviews and emails that Jack’s and Lauren’s story needed to continue. It worked out great, by the way, since I’m already knocking around ideas for Book 3.

Thanks also to everyone who reviewed ARC copies! I really appreciate the time all of you took to read and promptly post reviews. That makes a huge difference for launching a new book and I was glad to hear how many of you enjoyed the novel!

I also received some fantastic news! Streetlights Like Fireworks will be featured in a Bookbub ad this month (July 8). Those of you who are fellow writers know how hard it can be to get one of these ads since they reject at least 85% of the books submitted to them (yes, I tried quite a few times). You readers are probably wondering what the big deal is since it’s just an ad, but Bookbub has a massive subscriber base so it’s a great opportunity for Streetlights Like Fireworks to gain the attention of a bunch of new readers. So, wish me luck and maybe I’ll report back here later on how the whole thing goes. The timing couldn’t be better with The Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2) coming out the same month!

Here’s what’s going on with Jack and Lauren:

Psychic visions, visits from ghosts and telepathic connections. Must be time for date two. 

For Lauren, there’s nothing particularly scary about seeing ghosts or experiencing psychic flashes. After all, this is the world she knows. Still, none of that prepares her for suddenly connecting with the mind of Vicky Stearns, a girl she’s never seen before. What caused the connection to happen? Why, of all the people in the world, did she receive this psychic distress call? Lauren’s confusion soon turns to fear when she learns that the girl went missing earlier that same day. 

Part of Lauren wants to pretend this vision didn’t find her. It’s darker than anything she’s had to deal with before, the stakes so much higher. She also knows more than anyone what it means when a child goes missing. After all, she’s been searching for her own brother for over a decade. 

There’s only one person Lauren can think of with abilities keen enough to help her navigate the visions gripping her: Jack, the boy whose own psychic awakening drew them on a journey across the country together last summer. The problem being, Lauren hasn’t seen him in nearly a year. She also gave Jack every possible signal that it was over between them, hoping he’d be better off without her in his new life. When Lauren sets out to unravel the mystery, she knows only two things: This will be her last chance with Jack and her only chance to save Vicky Stearns.

Okay, that’s it for now. I hope you’re all enjoying summer wherever you are. Here in Virginia it stayed in the nineties for a good part of June. Can’t wait to see what July brings. On the upside, I’m a big fan of going to OBX, the pool, grilling and fireflies (I really love fireflies but not grilling fireflies). Pop quiz! How many of you know what OBX means? I had no idea what all those bumper stickers were about when we first got here but that’s local lingo for Outer Banks. Pretty nifty, right? Okay, maybe it’s a local thing.

By the way, here’s the link to the Dragonfly Season (Streetlights Like Fireworks, Book 2) in case you’d like to snag a copy (please consider leaving a review!).

The End (Not Really)

So, I’ve been thinking about endings lately. Yes, this has something to do with finishing a new novel but it also involves a recent comment from someone saying Streetlights Like Fireworks is a “cliff-hanger.” I’ve heard this once or twice before (actually, I think just twice) and each time I’ve found myself perplexed. This post isn’t about reviews by the way. People have every right to say whether they do or don’t like a book. What the comment made me wonder about, though, is whether the popularity of series and serials has changed reader expectations of how, and when, stories should end.

A while back, I went through a writing program that I enjoyed quite a bit and from which I learned a lot. In most respects, this is neither here nor there (I’m hardly a literary writer) but one of the things I came away with from that program was that you should never tie everything up with a nice little bow and say “the end.” The idea being that the experience feels artificial and contrived. Also (more importantly), that novels work much more nicely if things end on a slightly suspended note. That way, the reader can envision the characters living on past the last page and, by leaving some things to the imagination, you’ve given the reader the gift of not having your novel ever quite end. To a degree, readers can imagine for themselves how certain aspects might yet play out in “the future.” Personally, that idea appeals to me. I don’t mean leaving major plot points unresolved. Instead, I mean aspects that aren’t quite on the page but are fairly safe to assume given how the main story arc completes. I wonder if the trend toward book series over stand-alone novels has somewhat altered reader expectations whereby readers sometimes expect these same suspended notes to be the starting point of the next book in a series, even if the resolution of these aspects seems kind of predictable (which can be another reason they take place “off stage”).

Yes, I’m part of the problem (not that it’s a problem).

On the other hand, could it be a good thing for writers that readers have come to hope (maybe even expect) that novels become a series? I’ll answer that one. Yes! Obviously, this can be a good thing for writers. For example, I didn’t plan for my first published book, Jump When Ready, to become a series. I intended it as a stand-alone with just a little left to the imagination at the end (looking back, it would have been much smarter to leave a few more questions unanswered but live and learn). I went on to writing Streetlights Like Fireworks with the same intention. Then this really nice thing happened. I kept hearing from readers who wanted both stories to continue. The thing is, I was quite happy to do that since I love the characters from each book and really didn’t want to say goodbye to them either. At the same time, should a writer feel obligated to create a series because of the trend? Is a writer’s chances of finding a readership lessened because his or her books are stand-alone works? I’ve heard writers say that they don’t even consider promoting a book until they have at least one follow-up published as well. Presumably, this could pertain to other stand-alone novels but most of the time I get the impression this is referring to other books continuing the series.

As I mentioned at the start, this has also made me think about endings and how they’ve changed. Have we entered an era where readers want every question answered (even those peripheral to the main plot) before they feel satisfied by a book’s conclusion? Do readers find an ending that leaves nothing to the imagination truly satisfying? Do you ever get the feeling that, rather than reading a novel, you’re reading part of a novel that’s been chopped up into parts for reasons that don’t best serve the story? Even while I’m writing a series at the moment, I have to admit there have been times when I’ve seen a book and thought it sounded great but wasn’t sure about reading four (or six, or eight) installments to reach the end. I just wanted to read one of those old-fashioned books that actually end at, you know, the end of the same book I started reading. Or is that view outdated already? Define ending, right? Define book, for that matter. A good example might be Hugh Howie’s Wool, which started out as a very satisfying and intriguing novella. Left alone, it would have remained wonderful. But the story’s popularity led to the creation of more parts which, ultimately, became the omnibus (but we really think of that as the book now).

Actually, when do these start airing again? Anyone know?

Occasionally, I’ve read books intended as part of a series where I felt totally ripped off by the true cliffhanger at the end. By that I mean, the story essentially came to an abrupt halt like an episode of Doctor Who wrapping up with “To Be Continued” (and you Whovians out there know that can mean in six months’ time when they resume airing shows). On the other hand, I’ve read series books where the experience was totally satisfying and it was then up to me whether I continued reading. For the example I’m thinking of, I did, because the first book was so satisfying and the writing so good that I wanted to read more. This also meant that the first book reached a point of satisfying conclusion while still leaving a few questions unanswered (but not to the degree where I didn’t feel the story had reached a fitting conclusion).

So, what do you think? Have we redefined the meaning of “the end?” Do you like the trend toward more series and less stand-alone novels where you get to spend more time with your favorite characters? Or do you sometimes feel that stories are too often being left suspended on obviously manipulative cliff-hangers so that readers have to buy the next book?

Be sure to read my next blog post, where I’ll tell you how the majority of readers feel.

Kidding, of course.

The end.

It happened again!

Back in February, I submitted Jump When Ready to ACX (the folks who produce audiobooks for Amazon, Audible and iTunes) just to see if maybe they might put a stipend on the project to attract narrators/producers. Since ACX had just done this for Streetlights Like Fireworks in January, I had serious doubts (before that, I had no idea that they even offered stipends, so that one came as a really nice surprise). As you must have guessed by now, ACX offered a stipend on Jump When Ready too. Honestly, I was stunned. I really didn’t think this could happen twice in two months. This was in late February and here we are in early April and the Jump When Ready audiobook is already post-production and on sale as of this week!

For the record, I’m not really that much of an audiobook person. I’m more a reader since I like to imagine things my own way. BUT, I really love (as in, really love) what the narrator, Maxwell Glick, brings to the characters of Jump When Ready. The guy is just amazing and his performance has a wonderfully quirky side to it that brings this world to life in a way I’m not sure anyone else could. Every time I listen to Maxwell’s performance, I find myself smiling. I don’t know, maybe it’s me.

I’d love to know what you think. Right now, you can get the Jump When Ready audiobook for free with an Audible trial. Or, if you’ve already purchased a copy of the Kindle book through Amazon, the Whispersync feature for the audiobook will kick in sometime within the next couple of weeks and you’ll be able to grab a copy for $1.99. That’s a pretty sweet deal since Audible charges $19.95 otherwise. Who knew audiobooks were so expensive? Well, I didn’t but, like I said, I’m one of those old fashioned reader types.

As for other updates, I have finally finished the draft of Streetlight Like Fireworks #2! Yeah, I know it took me forever since I was working on the Jump When Ready series but I’m in the editing phase now. I’m kind of a slow editor too but I’m hoping to get that one out soon.

That’s it for now and I hope everyone is enjoying spring while it lasts. Typically, that’s about one month here in Virginia, then it hits ninety degrees (at least) for like four months. Seriously, they’re already getting the neighborhood pool ready and the thunderstorms have already started driving our dog crazy (and us along with her). Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that I posted here about enjoying a snow day?

Bay Area Book Festival Defends Author Solutions Sponsorship

Originally posted on David Gaughran:

I discovered yesterday that Author Solutions was sponsoring the inaugural Bay Area Book Festival – something at odds with the breathless verbiage on the event’s site:

A new kind of book fair… the largest, most innovative, and most inclusive… [we will] create the nation’s leading book festival.

The event doesn’t take place until June, so I thought it was a good time to try and stage an intervention.

Shame on @BayBookFest for accepting sponsorship from known scammers like Author Solutions. What the hell were you thinking? #Baybookfest

— David Gaughran (@DavidGaughran) March 19, 2015

After I sent that tweet I felt a little bad.

Maybe the organizers didn’t know the full history of Author Solutions. Maybe they weren’t aware of the specific scam that Author Solutions runs at events like this. Deciding to give them the benefit of the doubt, I emailed the Executive Director of the festival, Cherilyn Parsons.

View original 1,145 more words

Streetlights Goes Audio!

 

The audio book version of Streetlights Like Fireworks is now out and available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes! Yep, I’m kind of excited about this since it’s a first for me. In fact, having an audiobook version of one of my books just isn’t something I imagined going into this not long ago. So, this has come along as something of a nice surprise in the way it’s worked out so smoothly and quickly.

Since I really didn’t think much about audiobooks, I really didn’t consider what it’s like having one produced. In a way, it’s a little disorienting to suddenly encounter this differently realized doppelganger of your writing. Sure, I created that book called Streetlights Like Fireworks but I didn’t really create the audiobook. I just wrote what the producer/narrator (Adam Verner) brought to life in a new and different way. The best analogy I can come up with is that I feel like the proud parent of a child who came into the world already walking and talking. I’m like: “How are you doing, kid? Need me for anything?” Kid is like: “Not really, Dad, I got this. Check out what I can do!” Kid takes off on bike, then stands on the seat, balancing with arms spread, while I run after yelling, “Wait for me! I wrote you! Do you hear me?”

 Okay, maybe that’s enough of the analogy. What I’m getting at is that when you write a book, you’re ultimately in control of the process. Even if, for example, someone requests an edit, you’re the one to make that edit. An audio book is an entirely different deal. Unless you record it yourself (in most cases, not recommended, I hear), you find yourself experiencing both a new level of trust and a certain relinquishing of control. I guess we could push the analogy a little further and liken it to your daughter (or son) going out on those first dates. Um, never mind. This is just getting weird. All that said, Adam Verner did a fantastic job both narrating and producing and I’m beyond psyched to see the audiobook hit the shelves.

 Anyway, that’s the news. My apologies for being more an announcer of events here lately. I know that’s not very bloggerish of me but I’ve been working on my next book and really trying not to get distracted or spread too thin. That happens so easily between the blog, social media, planning promos, all that. You know the deal. One of the best things about indie publishing is also the worst. Yes, you have control (are you sensing a theme here? Totally unplanned, honestly) but you also have to take care of all aspects of your own publishing career. Not complaining, just explaining, as they say.

Speaking of promos… Streetlights Like Fireworks (the book, not the audiobook) will be featured this coming Saturday, March 7, as part of the Buck Books Daily Deal.  As you probably know, anything featured by Buck Books is less than a…can you guess? Exactly. So, Streetlights will be offered for $0.99 this Saturday. I don’t know if Whispersync will kick in by then, but if it does you’ll be able to snag the audiobook along with the book for just a few dollars more. Not too shabby. Oh, if you do snag a copy of the audiobook, tell that kid to get back here. He’s grounded for the weekend.