I’ve got a plan…

 

Unfortunately, so does everyone else. At least, anyone with half a brain has some sort of plan.

The big advantage I’ve got is that my plans are based on knowledge and hard-won experience. You know, the sort where you lose your shirt until you figure out what you did wrong and promise yourself you’ll never do THAT again as long as you live.

So let’s jump right into the nitty-gritty, get our hands right down into the grease and muck and see what’s what with this plan of mine. I’m kind of proud of it.

I spent most of last winter tying up the loose ends in “Lonesome Cove” and getting it ready to send to the publisher. And doing a bit of research on how I could increase my sales in the face of a collapsing economy. It ain’t pretty folks, but this boy has got to eat and pay his bills, and he’s in no shape to dig ditches or flip burgers.

So I had to think my way to some measure of increased prosperity.  And just in case you’re wondering how that’s working out for me, I’m still thinking.

I’ve been testing the waters of the Kindle Select program over the last few months, and frankly, I am impressed with the results I’ve seen. To say that my sales have increased ten-fold would be close to accurate, but perhaps understating things just the least little bit.

“Lonesome Cove”, my fourth Terry Rankin novel, is going to be published for he Kindle some time in April, and I plan to use the royalties from the Kindle sales to cover the cost of a paperback version that should be out in the fall of this year.

In order to attract some attention to the launch of “Lonesome Cove”, I will be setting up a ‘blog tour’ to run during the week or ten days prior to the launch, and at the same time set up a free download of the Kindle version of “Twisted Key” to run for two or perhaps 3 days about a week before “Lonesome Cove” becomes available.

And no, I will NOT be giving away copies of “Lonesome Cove” for the foreseeable future. However, when the paperback version of LC is available later this year, I will set up a promotion on my web site that will include free, signed copies of “Lonesome Cove”. I just don’t have any details on that yet.

While all of this is going on, I am happy to say that “A Silent Star” is moving along. I could even say that it is moving along right on schedule, but I don’t work to a schedule, so there. I write in the early morning, late afternoons, early nights and any damn time I feel like it, and when I don’t feel like writing, I do something else.

I enjoy writing, and absolutely refuse to force myself to do what I enjoy. I WANT to enjoy writing. I do NOT want to lose the feeling that it is fun. If I write well enough that you enjoy reading my novels, keep in mind that I write well because I enjoy what I do.

It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

So if you ever start to feel aggravated at my slow production, cut me some slack. I’m probably building something, or reading a good book, or playing solitaire or out shopping for my next boat.

But I’ve got my current manuscript simmering in the back of my mind. I promise.