I completely underestimated the exhilaration quotient of seeing my novels published online.
Mind. Blown.
I will have to ponder why it’s affecting me this strongly. There’s no objective difference in the works themselves. They’re just as good (or bad) as they were three days ago.
And yet. And…yet.
So cool.
Soon there will be publishing. Two manuscripts are being readied for tucking into little ebook bottles. They’ll both be hitting the digital ocean at once.
Platforms have been chosen (Amazon because well, duh, and Smashwords for every other venue) pricing structure dilemma has been solved, and I’m now contemplating the un-thrilling topics of cover art and other presentation minutia which make the difference between anyone taking a peek or passing things by.
I’ve located a basic-bare-bones cover art layout service. Good enough for free stuff. Done. Settled. Huzzah. The only hitch? I need to settle blurb issues before I commission art.
Catchy descriptions. (insert groan of horror here.) Not my strong suit. Hell, not even my grubby tee shirt with holes in it. I’ve cobbled together a decent blurb for the second book. I need a better hook for the first one, so it’s off to the writing board I’ll be going this weekend.
Biggest problem remaining: I think I need a series/setting title too. These two novels are complete, there are two novelettes in the same world plus two others novels that only need copy-editing and cosmetic changes to be ready. “The adventures of some characters” really doesn’t have much a ring to it. “Rogue Agents” has a ring, but it’s a) misleading, given that agents are only main characters in one story out of six and b) the ring is tarnished and way, way, way cliche.
Figuring out what connection to emphasize between disparate characters separated by setting and time is whiny-grumbly-hard.
Hm. Maybe “The Independence.” “The Independents” Something like that.
This requires more pondering. Also possibly cookies.
January 1. An arbitrary day for new beginnings.
An arbitrary beginning is better than no new beginning at all. So and thusly, I am beginning a New Thing. What kind of thing, you ask? Good question, but not one easily answered yet, as it is a newly formed Thing, still soft around the edges, tender in the middle and not hardened into any mature form. These traits make it A Thing easier to define by exclusion than description.
It won’t be a real diary. It won’t be an honest bragging platform for personal accomplishments. It will be closest to a miscellany in the classic sense, containing information learned, events observed and stories related to me by others along with personal thoughts and philosophical ruminations, but even there, it won’t be limited to the mundane, the real or the factual.
No promises on what will appear beyond an assurance that I will keep mentions of grocery needs to a minimum — unless they’re interesting groceries like Snark Crispies or freshly-ground verrucicles. I might post every day, but probably not. Once a week, certainly. Except when that doesn’t happen.
Yes, it’s truly going to be A Thing. Sounds thrilling, eh? I thought so. Wait until I spend a whole post rambling on about my definition of antiquity or improper uses of the word squeegee. You’ll hardly be able to contain your appreciation.
today’s randomness: took 10,023 steps, watched 3 discs of Babylon 5. Average temperature outside: 15 degrees. Inside: toasty warm, with a splash of hot bathwater. The moon is waning, the Quadantid meteor shower is falling. I ate seven ginger cookies and licked the centers out of four chocolate truffles.