Today I found out that the launch will be at Upper Hutt Central Library. Woo hoo!
We have a little something special (and fun) planned for this launch but you’ll have to come along to find out what that is.
Wasn’t sure if I’d be able to organize a launch this side of Christmas but our plans changed and I will be here in November, so, we’re launching the paperback version before the digital release (only by a few days but still it counts). Next weekend I’ll bake the cake so we’re ready to roll on Nov 8th.
This weekend I discovered my MacBook is possessed. Yep. Or at least something has possessed the cursor and it does whatever the fuck it wants whenever it wants.
It moves around so much and moves my screens so much that it makes me feel ill. I have zero control over it when it does that. None of the ‘fixes’ from the Apple Community worked. The usual turn it off and back on. Did nothing. Using an external mouse seemed to work, but in reality it did not. Stopping the ‘shake to find’ thingy on the cursor – seemed to work, but it did not.
Resetting the PRAM … didn’t even try to work.
Which leaves me with a possessed MacBook. It can freak out for a few minutes and then be perfectly fine and behave as normal. Or, it can freak out on and off for an hour or so – each little meltdown lasting five-ten minutes, then be perfectly fine. WTF?
I can use it – but I cannot trust it. And that there is the problem. I have a book to format – and I don’t know when my lovely Mac will decide to flip control and a/ not allow me to save my work b/run a muck all over my screen until I feel sick or c/refuse to let me do anything. I’m also six chapters into book 12. I’d like to be able to write without fear!
It’s headache inducing and frustrating as all hell.
Ramon and Jonni – you can both piss off and leave my Mac alone … thanks.
Funny how things change. Used to be writing that was my happy place. Now it’s Perth. I have little time for writing and am struggling to find a reason to carve that time out. Finding writing time has been increasingly difficult for the last four years. The only real writing time I get is when I’m in Perth.
I’m too tired to go back to writing late at night and way too tired to get up earlier than I already do.
My days are spent helping other writers, that can be fun and rewarding, I guess. BUT I cannot write in the bookshop – not effectively. Some days I can, but mostly I cannot. Interruptions are rife. Now if they were interruptions because people were buying books, it’d be okay and worth it! But generally, they are not. They’re time consuming phone calls or people coming in asking for directions or browsing (but not buying) or in people calling in for help. Days like yesterday when it was probably a perfect writing day – our internet and phone were out. So, no writing. Hard to work when you work in the cloud and the internet is shitty. And it’s often shitty. Thanks for that Spark.
Smashwords store wide sale is on this month. Fantastic, right? Usually, yes. This time around. 12 days without a sale. I have no idea why or what is going on. The only thing that changed is Facebook pretty well suppressing all links to the outside world and not letting anyone ask for posts to be shared. But I don’t know if that is what made a difference.
I am tired of hearing how great my books are. If they were THAT great then sales would reflect that, right? And people would take two minutes and write a review on a platform that actually helps other people make a choice (and NOT post it on GOODREADS or AMAZON).
Or is it that everyone just tells me but not other people, because I’m accessible?
Sometimes it feels like Ellie is still a fucking secret? This is my 10th as a published author, for almost all of the 10 I was with the same publisher.
I don’t know what it is. I do know that it’s hard to generate sales without money and without sales there is no money (that goes for me personally and the bookshop). Catch 22.
If you have any ideas that do not involve ANY money, because neither the shop nor I have any. In fact, my stupid positive thinking means I have less now than I did before. Yeah, I had more 2 more titles printed for the shop – thinking they’d sell. AND I’ve got an editor to pay for a book that I’m wondering if I should even release. It’s a fabulous story but who will read it?
The same five people?
Well, hey, that’ll pay for the cost of printing! 🙂
Stunning albeit cold day today. The walk to the bookshop was all sunshine and glorious. Don’t mind cold starts when the day is lovely!
So, what’s been happening here?
I have the proofs for snakebyte and the new version of Whispers in the Water. Whispers needs some tweaks. Which I knew and had already mostly done … then I had another idea. So, now it’s twenty pages longer. ha! Guess I’ll be re-doing the cover now. 🙂 Same amazing image – but a slightly wider spine. Kinda a fun project to be honest. Might do it next weekend when I’m home in Mahau. At this stage the books won’t be in the bookshop until July.
There is an important thing I need to remember before we leave on Thursday. THA doesn’t sail well. [She’s the only one of us that doesn’t.] So she’ll need good ol’ phenergan for the trip. Weather forecast is for wind, so it could be a wee bit bumpy out in the Strait. Best to be safe than sorry especially as immediately after the 3.5 hours on the sea we’ll be sitting in a car going over windy roads for 40 minutes! I’m all good on the sea – but man even I hate those twisty freaking roads. 🙂
I did try the whole ‘outlining’ thing for a new novel [non-byte]. Failed. It killed my desire to write and I shelved it. Pretty annoying really, because I was looking forward to this particular story. I might go back to it at some stage. I know it’s good. I know it’ll be fun to write. I just lost the will to do so with the whole outlining process. Maybe I need to find a different way of doing it?
Meanwhile, I’m back working on the 12th Byte novel. And that is fun. No outlining, no messing around at all. Just fun.
This was supposed to happen last February but it didn’t (remember how my publishing life turned upside down last year?). I’ve spent the last few days trying to find original files and whatnot to make this happen now.
There was much stress. Much blue air. Twice I had to start again with various files. But, this morning, on the last day of my holidays … we have success!
The byte Series Volume Three lives! And look how pretty!
It is available for pre-order across most platforms (not Amazon though, we’re holding off there, for now, mobi versions can be purchased from Smashwords) over the next day or so. I’ll share links as I find them. For now here’s the Smashwords link: The byte Series Volume three
I love the cover, I love these three books, and I especially love the story ‘heard it through the grapevine’, hope you do too.
I’m a writer. Good chance you’ve heard a whisper about my work. This is the place where you’ll find reviews, links, contact info, information about my work, competitions, and other bits and pieces. There are videos on various pages (turn your sound on).
FYI my books (individually) are cheaper than a good coffee, so, you have nothing to lose. You can read while drinking a coffee. I prefer to read while drinking a good tequila but whatever.
A few questions I get asked a lot;
Why Thriller writing? Thriller writing wasn’t a choice, it’s just the warped way my mind works. Easier to go with it than fight it.
Where can we find you? My work is available worldwide (at all good booksellers), you can find me at Writers Plot which is a unique bookshop that stocks ONLY Kiwi authors.
Who is Romeo? He’s my rescue Greyhound. He hangs out at home with his pals, Missy the fat gray cat, and the guinea pigs Bucky and Timmy.
What’s in the silver case? Body parts … I’m not even going to try and explain that, on the plus side I removed the M9 from the case.
What are you working on now? I’m writing the 11th-byte novel, Cryptobyte. I’m also working on a screenplay.
Do you have an Everipedia page? Super excited to say I do have an everipedia page. Big thanks to Pete Turner on the Break it down show. 🙂
If you follow me on social media (and you really should) just be aware that some days my social filter doesn’t quite kick in at all, if I think it, I’m liable to say it … don’t say you weren’t warned.
Until recently I was published by Rebel ePublishers, USA, they’ve now closed so I’m publishing under 9mm Press and part of The Renegade Guild.
