Blog Post 133

Tessera Trilogy Blog Post 133

Have been thinking about which efforts are most valuable in terms of focus and ‘at the moment action.’ Should I concentrate on preparing segments for RWG review and continue to refine the characters, plot, and timeline of action in Kashan Kashmeeri … or should I research and try to capitalize on e-marketing avenues?

Should I concentrate on recycling bicycles and computers for the local refugee community? These questions are rhetorical, as I seriously doubt any of you out there care one wit. It’s hard enough to even get my children or stepchildren to read, let alone respond to emails. Must be a generational thing. Should I even say this … will they read it and get upset? Doubt it! A bit of frustration just came out.

On the e-marketing side I’ve revised my Yahoo and Gmail email signature blocks based on the suggestions of a recent Riverside Writers Group guest lecturer/author signature. I’ve also joined a writers group titled Book Blogs – http://bookblogs.ning.com/ , and the indie writer support group - http://indiewritersupport.com. Will have to see what if anything develops out of these attempts. I plan to broach the subject of not being able to give FREE copies of my novels to public libraries. I can’t believe how stupid that sounds … libraries not accepting free books.

As an alternate marketing approach, based on a suggestion from a fellow RWG member, I burned CDs with copies of my first two novels and made them available at theannual Parade of Prose.   

At the recent RWG meeting I actually sold a CD with Golden Gate and Sooley Base burned as PDF files. See https://www.scribd.com/book/196782721/Sooley-Base and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/golden-gate-dp-tolan/1108014956?ean=9781618427670

Things looking up. I’m about to participate in a Lake of the Woods (LOW) Authors’ Book Fair https://www.lowa.org/Lake-Living/Clubs.aspx , a similar event at the Culpeper County Library, and a similar Local Authors event at the Porter Branch http://www.librarypoint.org/porter of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) system.

From the LOW Book Fair several ideas synthesized. Audio books require an investment of at least $2500.00 according to a fellow writer, unless you personally record the book. Amazon apparently has an audio books division and rumor has it if an author has audio files will market it free, and provide 70% royalties. There are several free audio recording software programs and this might be a future marketing idea … given enough time. Second edition versions of both novels would be required. Another idea that sprang forth was to take a Nook, with the two novels on it, to future Book Fairs to show how easy it is to read them.

I’ve friended several RWG guest speakers also, and one, Kimba Dalferes, responded and provided invaluable tips to improve my blog’s utility, and ideas to improve my evolving email signature. http://indiewritersupport.com/profile/KimberlyKimbaDalferes Thanks Kimba.

Another segment was critiqued at a Books A Million review meeting 20 October 2014. The comments are shown below as part of the writing process.

BAM reviewer –

1.       We (readers) can see the scenes – agree

2.       Minor editorial changes – agree

3.       Use of ‘spouse’, vice bride, in announcement seems phony – agree

4.       Questioned Anh having no accent, poor English – disagree; covered in previous segment

5.       Questioned whether Romans conquered Ireland – agree, but Celtic/Irish tribes fought the Romans in Wales – (see Golden Gate)

BAM reviewer – no written comments

1.       Finally got the marriage over with – agree

2.       Change ‘spouse’ to wife or bride – agree

BAM reviewer –

3.       Felt I was skimming surface of story, suggested more tension – agree

4.       Clear, covers lots of ground – literally – agree

5.       Increase tension, plot – agree, working

BAM reviewer -

1.       Suggested spell out VN – agree

2.       Asked where B&B cottage was – disagree; to remain a mystery (County Meath)

3.       Make a connection/link to perils – agree

4.       Big gap between first mention of finances and discussion – agree

5.       Suggested use ‘monochromatic’ vice brown to describe Saudi Arabia – disagree

6.       Rewrite “You’ve got that right” as confusing – agree, working

7.       Good dialogue on page 3 - agree

BAM reviewer –

1.       Minor editorial changes – agree

2.       Suggested spell out PDA – agree

3.       Not exciting enough – conflicted; it’s a wedding

4.       Anh too American – disagree; grew up in California

BAM reviewer –

1.       Suggested describe meal – working

2.       Suggested minor editorial changes – agree

3.       Suggested describe ‘medieval’ character of banquet – agree

4.       Enjoyed humorous parts – agree

5.       Liked flow – agree

6.       Add more color, flavor to ceremony – agree; working

7.       Reword ‘garter retrieval’ - agree

BAM reviewer –

1.       Enjoyed descriptions of environment and ethnic background – agree

2.       Increase or improve dialogue – agree, working

3.       Questioned Saudi man shaking a woman’s hand – conflicted, but explained in words

4.       Liked way religious police custom was shown - agree

BAM reviewer –

5.       Questioned whether this was friction – dunno how to address this. I said it was in part creative fiction

6.       Liked the humor – agree

7.       Minor punctuation suggestions – agree

8.       Liked description of Ireland – agree

9.       Suggested greater expansion of Saudi cultural differences – agree

10.   Suggested spell out PDA and VN - agree

BAM reviewer – no written comments

1.       Asked why identified Best Man and Maid of Honor again – agree

2.       Feels like you’re setting things up, but leaving enough detail to pull reader in - agree

BAM reviewer -

1.       Questioned whether Catholic Priest and Buddhist monk would share a wedding – disagree

2.       Asked why identified Best Man and Maid of Honor again – agree

3.       Excellent story, reads well  - agree

4.       Make better connection to purpose – agree, working

http://www.archaeologyuk.org/ba/ba14/BA14FEAT.HTML - The question of Romans in Ireland continues to be debated.