Funny that after writing for three days about how great the journey to self-publishing The Wych of Lepyr Cove has been, about how helpful and cool the kids who read the book were, about how I was sure I could do this thing --- I'd wake up this morning exhausted, my confidence eroded, my vision blurred and grey.
So this is the yin/yang thing going on --- first the high of the book release, then the low that's partly fear and fatigue, but maybe more than that. A brand new YA thriller was released yesterday - it's both sexy and bloody. Wych can't hit that mark. And the internet PR world turns out to be a bit daunting. There seem to be hundreds (thousands?) of reading and reviewing sites that the savvy use to get the word out. Each one comes with a special protocol you get to learn as you try to join the fray --- and hours and days pass as the computer screen becomes the universe.
Enter Maureen Miller - a very successful novelist. Maureen answered a question I had posted to her. It was a probably a simpleton's question and we are complete strangers, so I never expected to hear back. But I did - I heard from a person, a human being, a kind stranger, a busy writer who took the time to encourage me as today's roller coaster leaves the platform with me white-knuckled in the front seat.
Thank you Maureen. Not just for the answer, but for being a breathing thing out there in cyberspace who is willing to lend a hand. And thank you friends and family who have not yet told me to get lost as I come to you with another request for help.
I wanted to end this with something wise and witty but the vault's empty. Think I'll take a walk and get back this tomorrow.
So this is the yin/yang thing going on --- first the high of the book release, then the low that's partly fear and fatigue, but maybe more than that. A brand new YA thriller was released yesterday - it's both sexy and bloody. Wych can't hit that mark. And the internet PR world turns out to be a bit daunting. There seem to be hundreds (thousands?) of reading and reviewing sites that the savvy use to get the word out. Each one comes with a special protocol you get to learn as you try to join the fray --- and hours and days pass as the computer screen becomes the universe.
Enter Maureen Miller - a very successful novelist. Maureen answered a question I had posted to her. It was a probably a simpleton's question and we are complete strangers, so I never expected to hear back. But I did - I heard from a person, a human being, a kind stranger, a busy writer who took the time to encourage me as today's roller coaster leaves the platform with me white-knuckled in the front seat.
Thank you Maureen. Not just for the answer, but for being a breathing thing out there in cyberspace who is willing to lend a hand. And thank you friends and family who have not yet told me to get lost as I come to you with another request for help.
I wanted to end this with something wise and witty but the vault's empty. Think I'll take a walk and get back this tomorrow.