This has been a productive summer for me in the writing
department. I’ve finished one story, am in the closing scene of another, and
have “tidied-up” an old manuscript that might just be worthy of publication. I
used to wonder if the writing would get easier, and now I have an answer. For
me, yes, it has. I’m much more relaxed about this business than I used to be.
Part of that is I don’t spend a lot of time out on all the
blogs, lists and groups the way I used to.
Doing the occasional personal “appearance” is fine, but they take a
chunk out of precious writing time, and since I have a full-time job in
addition to writing, I think it’s a necessity that I limit time spent on the
Internet. Does that hurt sales? I don’t think so. I believe that the best
promotion for your current release is that it be the best book you can write.
When I was first published the prevailing wisdom said you
had to promo at the review sites in their “live” chat rooms. I did it. Some
review sites bragged of having hundreds of people show up for a chat. When I
wasn’t headlining those events, I went as myself, not the author, and I never
encountered more than twenty-three people at a “live” chat even when some
rather big-name New York authors were there.
The prevailing wisdom said, “You must have contests.” So I
did. I got to know those people who haunt the lists waiting for a contest. I
don’t bother much with contests, these days. T-shirts, bookmarks, promo cd’s –
all the little klitchy things. I did them all but the writing is more
important.
Nothing – absolutely nothing – makes any difference if you
don’t have a good book to start with.
If I have just one shot at giving any advice to a new
writer, or an old one, for that matter, I make it this: Forget everything that
fills up your hours with counterproductive activities, and learn, learn, learn
all you can to make your writing better.
A better story leads to greater personal satisfaction which
leads to the next even better book, and that my friends is the hokey-pokey of
this business. That’s what it’s all about.
***
And now for the promo we’ve all come to expect in a guest
blog segment - coming soon at Amber Allure - Kentucky 98 Proof by KC
Kendricks! Look for it around August 18,
2013.
Kentucky 98 Proof
by KC Kendricks
Victor Carter knows his grandfather only from a handful of
black and white photographs, so his surprise when the man’s will is read is
genuine. What’s he going to do with seventy acres on the side of a Kentucky
mountain? More importantly, how’s he going to survive living there for a year
to satisfy the conditions of the will so he can sell the property? Even worse,
it’s not like the hills of Kentucky are teeming with gay companionship.
Boone Mosely is Kentucky born and bred with a proud family
heritage he can trace back to his home state’s founding. Following in his
uncle’s footsteps, Boone’s in his second term as sheriff of Four Points. He
takes the job seriously and doesn’t suffer fools - or crime - in his town.
When city slicker Victor Carter arrives on Shepherd
Mountain, Boone knows he’s got a whole new brand of trouble to deal with. And
this time, the badge isn’t going to help him at all.
That’s all for this month! Thanks, Brenda, for hosting me
every other month. You really are the best!
KC Kendricks
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