This is just a quick update. For those who also follow my blog over on Nocturnal Lives, I’m mirroring much of it. Sorry for the repetition, but I wanted to get the info out in the easiest and quickest way possible. Now, on with the show. . . .
Let’s face it. Life’s been tough for many of us the last few years. I knew it had thrown me for a loop or three but, until recently, I didn’t realize just how much. This past month or so, it’s been like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Better yet, that light is getting brighter. (Of course, me being me, I’m hoping that’s a good sign and not an indication I’m about to walk into the middle of a nuclear blast or something similar. VBG) So here’s a long overdue update and a few random thoughts.
Surtr’s Fury is almost to the point where I’m ready to upload it for sale. I’ve done major–and I do mean major–rewrites on it since I last blogged about it here. I won’t lie. When the “writer brain” started working again, I was a little concerned (okay, a lot concerned) at some of what I wrote. It’s not that it was bad, just that the draft wasn’t what I’m used to putting out. So, drafts were printed out, red pencils were used, and now it is winging its way to the final editor. Hopefully, in about two to three weeks, it will be going live.
Something else I’ve done is start taking a hard look at my numbers on each of the market places. I’ve been wide for a couple of years now and, at first, it was great. But the numbers don’t lie. Amazon is still my primary marketplace. Without spending a great deal of time on promotion, the others just weren’t paying off the way I wanted. So, as of this week, I’ve taken two series off wide distribution and returned them to Kindle Unlimited. Those two series are Honor & Duty and Sword of the Gods. I’m going to watch the rest of the titles for another month or so before deciding what to do with them.
So, if you haven’t read either of those series, check them out on KU.
And now for the random thought(s).
This comes about after having read a post on my local neighborhood book of faces group. It seems we have a candidate for mayor who is using shock value and humor (if you want to call it that) to get his name out there. In this instance, someone was asking about a campaign sign they’d seen in front of a local gas station. Basically, it showed a cartoonish picture of a very overly buff man with a bull dog head. The caption was something to the effect of “Vote for Big Juicy and get big balls”. I’m paraphrasing because I can’t find the post right now.
Anyway, as you can expect, there was much head scratching and “huh?” going on in the thread. I’ll admit, the image is funny, but is that what we need running our city?
What came out of the initial post was a very good discussion on getting out to vote. One of the commenters is, along with his wife, a Navy vet and between them they have over 40 years in the service. Another is of Native American ancestry and very proud of it. The first urged everyone to vote because that is something so many men and women have sacrificed for over the history of our nation. He reminded folks about the dismal voter turnout our city has historically had, especially for city only elections. The other voice her pride in being able to vote, giving everyone a history lesson on how her ancestors didn’t have that right until after after 1900. It is a right she is proud of, one she respects, and one she exercises every time there is an election. She called out those her own age who don’t vote and who then spend the next 2 to 4 years bitching and moaning about the state of our city/county/state/country.
Pissing and moaning about how things are going here, not just locally but nationally, has become a national pastime. However, a large number of those bitching did not vote. They couldn’t be bothered to give up half an hour or so to go out during early voting or to show up on the actual Election Day to cast a ballot. Then they whine because things didn’t go the way they wanted.
Don’t be one of those people. Register to vote. Then get up out of your chair and actually cast a ballot.
If you’re worried about the integrity of the election process, volunteer to be a poll watcher. Become active with your locally preferred political party and help police it as well as the other side(s). In other words, DO SOMETHING.
Now, what I’m going to be doing here is a little different from the blog. I’m going to use this site to post up one of my works-in-progress as I go. It will be only once or twice a week, probably starting next week. There are a few kinks to work out to make sure that what’s going on here isn’t interfering with my next book release on the schedule.
What this means is everyone who has subscribed will get to read the first few chapters for free. Not sure yet how many that will be. That’s one of those kinks to work out. After that, the chapters will go behind the paywall that is being set up as we speak. Again, I’ll give more details the end of this week or the beginning of next.
Thanks for your patience and for your support. Until later!
Yay!