Dale’s Comments (group member since Sep 15, 2017)

Dale’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

My next story based on a prompt at the Art Institute of Chicago's website: "The Memory Bag" (https://medium.com/lit-up/the-memory-...)

Likewise!

"Watch Their Eyes" (The Belt Episode 16) is now available.

Dr. Miguel Hernandez is reunited with his students Petrina and Martin Ulenga when Hitomi sends all three to the Utopia region. In the aftermath of her encounter with Celia Fundichely, Carmen Rand determines to visit Utopia herself to discover why Celia wants it. Meanwhile, Subcommander Leah Leaf, pursuing Miguel and his students, stumbles upon Hitomi’s operation.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/s...

My next story based on a prompt at the Art Institute of Chicago's website: "Beta Read": https://medium.com/lit-up/beta-read-9...

Carole wrote: "I was hoping we could get a discussion going with this group."

Yeah . . . maybe we're the only three still checking in here??

That should probably be one of my 2022 goals, to do more promos like that. I just have so little time and hind it hard to focus properly on it right now.

I have never been good at consistent social media posting, and over the past couple of years I've gotten worse at it. So I have nothing to report, really, except I haven't noticed any sales effect from anything I've posted. Maybe I just don't post in the right places or consistently enough. I've recently joined a few groups for author interaction, as I've heard that on social media the key is really to interact more than to try to sell, but I haven't been very good at that, either.

Here's my latest in The Writing Cooperative: "Delete your Expletives" (https://writingcooperative.com/delete...). It's not (entirely) about what you might think.

And just because I've always posted these links here, this is a little bit of nonsense I threw together at the prompting of another Medium writer: "The Train Trainer" (https://medium.com/an-idea/the-train-...).

Here's my second story based on a prompt at the Art Institute of Chicago's website: "The Jukebox" (https://medium.com/lit-up/the-jukebox...).

Eternal fame or eternal shame?

Hopeless optimist Roberto Maccarone has staked his fortunes on a bold move: he's brought grand opera to the Oort Territories, where there isn't enough culture to fill a petri dish. But it's a tough sell here in the cold dark of the next to last circle of hell, and soon Maccarone is up to his mephistophelean eyebrows in corporate greed, rebellious miners, bloodthirsty mercenaries, outrageous lies, intense loathing, inane conversations, and more unintended consequences than you can shake a baton at. Really, how hard can it be to stage a performance?

One thing alone can save Maccarone and his company: the most fabulous theater in the solar system slumbers nearby, mysteriously shuttered without having once been used. But the keys are held in the icy grip of the local Culture Minister, and nothing–not Maccarone, not obscene amounts of money, not even that guy who juggles flaming kabobs while singing an ancient song about how great America was–can pry them loose. Will it be fame for Maccarone and his troupe? Or unemployment in Beelzebub’s outhouse?

Ebook editions of Space Operatic are on sale for just $0.99 through December 16th. (Amazon already dropped the price; other stores may take a bit longer.) Don't wait! Get the book one reader called "Douglas Adams meets Terry Pratchett." Here's a universal book link to launch you on your way: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalb...

Anna wrote: "I hope you’ll take a look at the answers to the question “Why do you write?” Three authors have responded. It’s a bit like saying “What makes you tick?” Worth your while considering?"

I'll be happy to give you my answer. Should I do that in a comment on the post or send it to you some other way?

It's unlikely that anyone will steal your work. However, there are ways to minimize the risk. Provide beta readers with a PDF version of your manuscript (you can export from MS Word and most other word processors to PDF). PDFs can't be edited without software that costs money and which most people don't have. On the title page, include text such as "This is an advance reader copy. Do not distribute." If submitting in advance for a book review, you can also add that editing is not complete, and that reviewers should quote from the final edition once it becomes available.

The other thing is, even if someone does distribute the work to others, that's not necessarily a horrible thing (so long as they aren't charging money for it). As some wise soul once said, for most authors the problem is not theft. It's obscurity. So a little "inappropriate" distribution could actually be fine. At least it gets your name out there!

From Independent Book Review:

"Weasel Words is a quick plot-driven read with a strong payoff. Lehman's skill comes through early in the book. He quickly sketches the characters, setting, and stakes of this heist... The pace ebbs and flows throughout the narrative as the duo faces obstacles and a fair amount of distraction.... In the end, Lehman wraps up the story with a satisfying package of action and resolution....something heist fiction lovers can really appreciate."

The full review will be posted no IBR's website in a couple of months. Meanwhile, you'll find Weasel Words at your favorite bookseller: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalb....

I've not been publishing much on Medium of late, but here's a new short story: "A Haiku Spun" (https://medium.com/lit-up/a-haiku-spu...). It was based on a prompt at the Art Institute of Chicago's website. I plan to do more of these in the coming weeks.

I've just released my first writing course, Start Writing, Keep Writing. It's designed to help anyone who is new to writing, who needs help establishing a regular writing habit, or who is stuck and needs a jump start. (That could be any of us!)

The course is a series of eight easily digestible emails, delivered one a day. They include homework to help you develop and maintain a regular writing habit and exercises to try when you're stuck. I've beta-tested it with my local Creative Writing Workshop, and it's gotten high marks.

Start Writing, Keep Writing is available free of charge when you sign up for my Writing Corner newsletter, which delivers writing advice and insights to you once per week. I plan to develop other courses which will be available for a small fee, but Start Writing, Keep Writing will always be free to subscribers.

To join, visit my sign-up page at https://www.daleelehman.com/free-eboo.... (You can also sign up for Story Corner, my newsletter for readers, and get some other freebies.) Thank you!

Sooo . . . in an effort to get more info out there about The Belt, I've created a page on my website that provides synopses of every episode. I'll add to it when I add episodes, so this will be an ever-expanding page. I hope the descriptions grab you (at least if you're into science fiction or drama). If not, feel free to tell me how bad they are and I'll fix them. ;-)

Anyway, here's the page: https://www.daleelehman.com/the-belt-...

Have a look!

I'd like to ask some marketing advice for a forthcoming novel. My apologies for the length of this, but I want to give you complete information so you can evaluate my situation.

I expect to release my next mystery, A Day for Bones, sometime in the first quarter of 2022 (date to be determined). This is the fourth novel in my Howard County Mystery (HCM) series and my seventh book. My first six books are as follows. All are $12.95 in paperback and currently $2.99 in ebook. (Originally I priced the ebooks at $4.99 but lowered them during the pandemic with the intention of raising them back to $4.99 at some point.)

The Fibonacci Murders (HCM #1)
22 ratings
4.6 stars

True Death (HCM #2)
11 ratings
4 stars

Ice on the Bay (HCM #3)
6 ratings
4.4 stars

Space Operatic (humorous science fiction)
7 ratings
4.3 stars

Weasel Words (Bernard & Melody #1) (humorous crime caper)
11 ratings
4 stars (includes audiobook ratings)

The Realm of Tiny Giants (short stories)
No ratings yet

A few other details:

I have 658 subscribers to my weekly newsletter. I offer The Fibonacci Murders plus a free HCM short story to new subscribers. Also, I regularly participate in StoryOrigin swaps and group promos, both to get new signups and to generate sales. I use both The Fibonacci Murders and Space Operatic as reader magnets via StoryOrigin.

I use BargainBooksy semi-regularly for promotions. I have run promos for all of my books at least once, but usually I don't make back the cost. I get the best results for The Fibonacci Murders, less so with the other installments in the HCM series.

I've also been experimenting with Amazon Ads. I have gained a few sales for the HCM books and for Weasel Words, but nowhere near enough to cover the cost of ads. I have gotten a couple of new reviews for The Fibonacci Murders this way.

I have never offered a free book except as a reader magnet. I have only lowered ebook prices to $0.99 a couple of times. I released Weasel Words at that price and had so-so sales, as I recall.

Soooo . . . given all that, how would you market leading up to and during the release of A Day for Bones? Thank you!

I'm interviewed on Stories by J.J. (https://storiesbyjj.com/kindle-vella-...). Please have a look and pass it around. I'll be appearing on J.J.'s podcast eventually, once it's going. Thanks!

Sam (Rescue Dog Mom, Writer, Hugger) wrote: "Writing this message took much longer than it should because I have to stop after every 5 words or so. Very frustrating, as my story continues to grow in my head but I doubt I'll ever get it in a file to publish. Huge Hugs"

I was going to suggest what Anna suggested. Don't know if it would be any easier, but it might be worth a shot. Hang in there!