Music to my Ears

When it comes to planning an event, there a few things that are hard to get and top priority; Venue, Entertainment and Special Guests. For my first Book Launch, I wanted to find local talent for the live music. That meant I was reaching out to my community and trying to find someone that was available for the date of my launch.

With over a dozen suggestions, there weren’t many that were available. Which made choosing one a lot easier. When it comes to local talent, the next thing to think about is what they play and if it will be appropriate for the event.

Selecting songs means going through the lyrics and seeing if the words are appropriate for the event. Once you have a song list, if the musician agrees, you have your entertainment.

I am happy to report, that I have found my live music for my book launch, she is young, talented and her music fits perfectly with my theme. I am so excited to hear her play. The event is shaping to be one to remember. There is just over a month to go. The countdown begins.

Imperfectly Perfect and Proper

Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has flaws, and nobody is perfect. Even the best can stumble. Human error is not an excuse it is a reality. The best thing about mistakes, it makes us unique. That’s the same with any created thing, the flaws make it rarer and different.

When it comes to what you make, sometimes it is better to embrace the flaws rather than trying to perfect them. You will chip away all the ice if you keep mending a broken part, you will damage the product more by trying to cover up the mistakes. Same with writing a book or having it published. It will cost you more if you keep trying to correct all the tiny flaws that make the end product unique. Regardless of the popular opinion, it’s perfect in the maker’s eyes.

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I have decided to embrace my flaws in my book, well some of them anyway and have them there as a quirk that makes the book imperfectly perfect. What does this mean to you readers? It means that when you come across those flaws, the book isn’t boring. It isn’t predictable and what's more, it doesn’t stop you from reading.

The biggest mistake you can make is trying to cover up the flaws that make you unique, if you strive for perfection, you will get broken. Accept the indifference, the oddness and love the fact that nobody’s perfect.

Finding Other Authors

Since I am part of the Illawarra, I had to make sure I joined my local groups. Can’t be part of one in Sydney or even as far as New York City. It is still early days with my books, 1 and 2 are out there. But now that I have fellow writers to talk to, I can gain more and more readers and eventually fans.

Every career has their owner groups and support networks, writers need to find other writers. So this week, I joined a few different writing groups and managed to get my book available for other authors to read if they wish.

 

Soft Cover Set Up

Having the book on Amazon, I don’t know how many have seen the book but would prefer the paperback version. I know some people prefer the feel of paper rather than staring at a screen. I wanted to wait a little while longer before having the softcover available to be sent out. Now I am allowing the book to be printed and shipped to those around the world. I just wanted to give an opportunity for some people to know they didn’t have to have delivery.

The first book will be available in Soft Cover very soon. If you do buy the book, give your feedback and let me know what you think.

Soft Cover example.

Setting up the Series

It doesn’t stop at 1; I have just arranged for Book #2 to be on Pre-order.
In order to keep the story going, book #2 will be available on Amazon in less than a week. I am very excited to have the second book come out so anyone willing to read can have the books back to back.
Since this story arc is meant to be a book series, I planned Book 2 while writing Age of the Immortal; and had it ready to go when I had the first book released.

So with only a little wait to go, enjoy a cover reveal of Book #2.

Immortal Legacy Book 2

Time to get Physical (and Plan)

To actually hold what you created is a powerful feeling. Someone once told me your book is like your baby; it is the precious thing you created. It is fragile at first and grows in time. I spent 10 years working on writing a series, and 10 years on getting a book out there in the world and after all those years of writing, I can finally hold my creation in my hands.

With the physical book now available that means I have to get serious and start to plan the selling of the books. This means time, venue, catering (if any), who to invite, and what props. The book launch is a big deal, it is handing your books over to people knowing they will be taking them home.

Amazon Proof Book.

So close you can almost touch it

Weeks after putting my book online, I have taken steps to have the book in a physical paperback form. It won’t be long before the book can be in your grasps. This is a great milestone, the book will no longer be just online using Amazon and iTunes, but people can purchase the book to have the feel of paper between their fingers.

Of course in order for me to have the paperback books, I have to wait for delivery, after the printing has been done. This means the time between confirmation and arrival is the intense period of anticipation. But when you receive that confirmation email and letter that the book(s) are been shipped or delivered, the countdown begins.

Once the books are in my hands, I can arrange them to be handed over to buyers so they can turn the pages and read. They can put it on a shelf. That’s what’s really exciting, seeing the physical book been handed over to be placed someone within a person’s place.

However, there are people that are in another country, you too will soon have the paperback version, once I receive my physical copy, I will make the book available to be delivered to anyone who wishes to purchase it.

Loops and Hurdles

Writing seems to be more like a circus or a athletic race on track; in order to get your book out there, there are loops to jump through and hurdles to jump over.
Of course they are important, however being a self-publishing author, they are long and tiresome, especially if you haven’t got anyone to coach you through it. But the end result is all that is important.

When you complete the course or the routine, it is the applause or audience reaction that is important and it doesn’t matter if it takes you 5 minutes or 5 hours to complete the task, once you finished, it is done. Therefore, completing the important loops and hurdles, gets you closer to the finish line or finale.

Filling out forms, waiting for approval, making sure all ts are crossed and is are dotted. So you can have no stumbles or disqualifications. You don’t want to look like a clown by doing the wrong thing.
So I am happy to say that after days of filling forms, my book’s outreach is getting bigger and I can’t wait to reach the finish line and see how the audience reacts.

Setbacks and Steps Forward

In every career there are setbacks, and things that go wrong, it is what you do with them that makes a difference. If you stop when you get a setback, then you are stalling your progression. If you run away when you get rejected, then you ruin your chances of any success. You need to step forward when you hit a setback. There is an expression “two steps forward one step back”. This means even when you are progressing, something will happen to make you lose progress or add more to your work. However Vladimir Lenin phrases it better “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward”.

Some people are optimists, they see the good that comes with the bad, others are pessimists and they see that saying and say “One step forward two steps back.” in other words, they aren’t making any progress because of the setback is too big of a challenge. I am a realist, and I agree with Vladimir and Erika Taylor; for her words are ‘Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward’

No setback is too big if you keep moving forward, little by little you will reach your goal. It could take a while, it might seem like a long walk, but once you take those steps forward, you will keep going that direction.

Feelings on Going Public

Publishing a book, is a mix bag of feelings, you feel excited to have your work out there, you feel proud of your effort, but you also feel nervous and worried that it wouldn’t be liked. What if no one understands your world or how you see the world. What If….
If you are driven by doubt, you will hit dead ends and go no where. You need to trust yourself. I have made the decision to have the book out there. I will have it as a eBook as well as a physical paperback. I will trust that those who read it will enjoy it and tell others.

I have spent 10 long years working on the book, I won’t let doubt stop me from doing another book or reaching my dream. I am happy and glad I have done it; I am excited about what comes next. Whatever I am feeling, I will make sure I keep going forward.