Blog on hold

It occured to me the other day that this blog of mine is all self gratifying nonsense at the moment and will probably remain so until the book comes out when, maybe, with a bit of luck, people might read the book and visit the website and catch the link to this blog and then a few aspiring writers might start asking questions about writing and at that point the blog can carry out its function, as a blog about writing for writers and everybody will be happy, least of all me. The thought came like that, quickly, without punctuation...just a carousel of realisations...and so this blog is on hold until October...unless I get a comment to respond to...

Nothing day

Not much happening today, a walk by the sea, a spot of photography. There was some activity on the beach actually; a host of birdwatchers gathering. An 'Aquatic Warbler' had been spotted. They seemed quite excited about it. We took the dog in the other direction...for safety reasons.

The beach got me thinking about places and how much a sense of place is important in 'Asboville'. My new novel is set in Glasgow (or some of it) and I've only been the once. I was immersed in the location that 'Asboville' was written in and feel I should go to Glasgow for a few days, just to see...

Book Cover

Okay, so I've heard it said that writers go on too much about their latest book cover and all that, but tonight I was invited to go and see my book cover being printed and as it represents the fulfilment of a dream I've had since I was 16 I think it deserves a mention.

There we are. I've mentioned it. I feel better for it.

Marketing

Here's the thing. I've set up my website, my blogsite and my MySpacesite. Now I have to get readers. At the moment I'm blogging to myself.

Today I went out into the field, or on another run of local bookshops, to let them know my book is coming. The same thing happens each time:

i. Catch the eye of the bookseller. Bookseller looks away nervously thinking 'okay what does this guy want?' Approach bookseller... nervously.

ii. Stumble through an opening introduction which includes the words 'my book' while desperately reaching into bag for cover image and printed details, because I know the bookseller is thinking 'vanity press'/'self published'/'print on demand' etc...

iii. Produce cover image, mention the words 'properly published', meet booksellers eye to show honesty. Wait...

iv. ...for the question that comes each time. "What wholesaler/supplier can we get it from?" Bookseller begins to smile knowingly, expecting dumbfounded look from myself. I mention the word "Gardners" and everything changes. A light clicks on in the booksellers eyes. "So it's a real book..."

Okay, perhaps this is mild paranoia but that's how they make me feel.

The hard sell is just not in my nature...but I'm learning!

Where to begin...

If I do anything with this blog I think I'll use it to talk about the creative process and writing in general. Unless some interesting comments arise, which is unlikely at the moment as nobody is reading this blog, nobody knows it exists and I am still working out how to change that...

I have very little to say at the moment as not much is happening. I'm waiting for 'Asboville' to go to press. When it has done that I'll be helping my publisher mail out review copies to all and sundry and then I guess there will be more waiting until the release date.

I'm 20k words into the next book. It's coming along but I find myself deleting as much as I create each day. This is actually a good thing because things are taking shape and becoming less wooly, characters are developing and new story ideas are arising. I'm busying myself with research too.

What I also need to do is send out some stories that have been sitting in my PC doing nothing for a time. I try to follow a policy of always having them 'out there'.

Asboville

- Asboville -

Maia Press

October 2006

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