Farewell to Google Plus

When I published my first novel, I read a lot of advice online about the best way to publicize it. Several people/sites said it was imperative for me to put myself out there on social media so that any potential reader could find out more about me and might be inspired to buy my novels.

As a result, I opened accounts with Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon Author Central, Blogger, iAuthor, Youtube, and Google+. I soon realized that each of these needed to be somewhat different since no one wants to read the same information over and over.

I decided that Blogger would have snippets of my fiction, in addition to actual updates and my thoughts on the world, while Facebook would be more about the novels and general space news.

iAuthor, Goodreads and Youtube are sites where I mostly posted items (names & information about the novels, videos about the novels) and then left them alone. Amazon Author Central was the place to post general information about me as an author, with a picture or two.

Then there was Google+. I wasn’t sure what to do with it at first. All of my blogs automatically show up there, but that seemed a little boring. I did some exploring and found out that a lot of people use Google+ for photos, especially collections of photos, so I decided to do the same. At first, I simply shared photos from others that I thought were noteworthy. After a while, though, I posted a few of my own photos. Eventually I posted a few collections. It was always a good place to find amazing photos of birds, wildlife, nature, beautiful things, etc. I liked how easy it was to explore and find others’ collections. And I had around 42 followers!

Now comes the news that Google+ will no longer be available for non-commercial users like me. This makes me sad. It was one place where I could post little items about something cool I’d seen in Wilderness Park or on the flowers out front or while I was traveling. I wasn’t really an author there; I was just one person among many wanting to share some photos.

There weren’t a lot of ads. If I followed someone, I saw ALL of their posts, not just some. If I wanted to explore, it was simple. If I wanted to share my photos with someone, that was simple, too. Google+ never seemed overbearing or difficult; it just seemed like a nice place to hang out once in a while.

I guess those of us hanging out together weren’t generating enough revenue. Also, Google apparently had a data breach and decided it wasn’t worth it to revise Google+ for added security. Whatever the reason, they’ve decided to end the Google+ product, except for business owners.

I’m not the only one who will miss Google+. I’ve read several posts there as people try to figure out where to move their photos and how to notify their followers (sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands). They’re scattering to the wind; I guess it’s a lot like when you leave high school or college in the “real world”: you realize you won’t be with that particular set of people anymore and won’t see some of them ever again.

I suppose it’s for the best. I’ve met a lot of good people since college. I’m sure I’ll find somewhere else to share and enjoy photos.

But I’ll miss this one. Goodbye, Google+.

Shaken

By now you've probably heard about the earthquake in Oklahoma this morning. It was 5.6, centered a little north of Pawnee, OK, and we felt it in Pittsburg, KS. I was in bed when it felt like a strong person had grabbed the frame and was shaking it vigorously. I could hear items on the dresser rattling. My brain ruled out a passing truck and something hitting our house before it settled on "earthquake." It shook us a little, but no damage was done.

I've also been a little shaken figuratively.

When I first published Outsider, I thought I'd probably sell about three or four copies, mostly to family members. To my amazement, the people at work were excited to hear I'd been published. They lined up to buy the book and asked for my autograph. One even wanted to have her picture taken with me. This was followed by a whirlwind of books signings and an interview for the local newspaper.

Hindsight now tells me the truth: they thought "published" was the same as "famous." They thought I was already there ... and after a while, I believed it, too.

Lately, with book sales at zero, I've realized that we were mistaken. I'm not a failure, because I have four books published, but I'm not really successful either.

That's okay. Not everyone can be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling and I'm fine with that. The problem is that I spent too much time worrying that I didn't try hard enough or wasn't good enough ... and that's dried up my writing. That's not okay.

I'm going to try to go back to that feeling I first had when I saw Outsider pop up on amazon.com: happy and excited. I'm going to try to reacquaint myself with my characters. I might try to introduce myself to some new characters. Most of all, I want to reorient my thinking so that I don't obsess over how many books I've sold and instead concentrate on the joy of writing. That's what matters to me.

I was a little shaken, but I hope no damage was done.

Promise

Wow, I almost forgot to write my blog this week! I'm sorry to those of you who have been checking this weekend and haven't found a new posting. It's ironic that the weekend we didn't have Internet, I wrote a blog, but then when we got our Internet back, I almost didn't write one!

There's a lot going on this month, for me and I'm sure for you also. I suppose I could have just said, "Oh, I don't have anything to say and nobody's going to care anyway." Both of those things might be true, but my stats here at Blogger tell me that at least some people look at this blog every week and I feel I've made a promise to you that I'll post every week, so I'm going to live up to that promise. (I sound like Lamont in Outsider. I'd love to be more like him, so I guess this is a start.)

As you know, my life has changed somewhat since I published Outsider. I've gone through a lot of new experiences, many of them unexpected. I've had to get outside my comfort zone, which isn't always an easy thing for a shy introvert like me. I still have trouble with it, especially when it comes to trying to sell books. (It's hard to be pushy. I don't do that very well.)

But I think there have been some improvements along the way. I'm no longer secretive about my writing and I like to talk/write about it. I know a lot more about copyright and formatting, as well as many other topics. I'm active on at least some social media (still not ready for Twitter).

And I'm less shy. I still have trouble with large groups, especially strangers, and I haven't yet perfected the art of small talk with people I don't know. But I managed to surprise myself last week by doing something I never would have thought possible about three years ago (or maybe even last year!).

My company had its Christmas party on Friday, and after we had food and entertainment, we had some games where various tables of employees (six at each table) competed against each other for cash and prizes. My table didn't manage to win the first one we tried, so we were all ready to take on the next challenge when we were called. We strode up to the front of the room with the other two teams and listened, first with amazement and then with groans, to the challenge: each team had to select one person who would "sing" Christmas carols using "doo doo doo" instead of the words, and the rest of the team had to guess the title of each song. Whichever team got the highest number right would win.

Immediately, everyone in our group said they refused to sing. It was instantaneous! So there we were. That's when I surprised myself: I volunteered.

Let's take a moment, here. This would involve singing (sort of) in front of a group of about 100 or so people. I don't like to sing in front of one or two people! I sing in my car, not when anyone else can hear. I didn't know if I could carry a tune or if I would know any of the songs on the list or if I would freeze.

But I volunteered. The others were relieved and quick to agree. Then we had to go into another room while the other two teams tried it, so we couldn't hear the songs. So I had another five minutes to contemplate my fate. Fortunately, my supervisor had her baby there and I could concentrate on him, not on what I was going to do. I think if the baby hadn't been there, I might have passed out!

Finally it was our turn ... and we did well! I focused on the list of songs instead of all those people listening and my team did a great job of identifying the songs. We ended up tying for first place and lost the "sing-off," but I still thought it was a victory.

There is no way in heaven or on Earth that I could have done such a thing a few years ago. But I guess all those book signings did me some good. I got a little more used to people looking at me and expecting me to say or do something. I don't know. Maybe I'm just getting sillier as I age!

Whatever it is, I have to admit that I'm glad. If I were still that shy, quiet girl that everyone sort of knew, where would I be? Not where I am now, wherever that might be. If I made some people laugh at the party, that's great. If some people thought it was dumb, that's fine.

It's a lot like putting my novels (or my blog) out there. Not everyone will like them ... but I'm sure glad that some people do like them. That makes it all worthwhile.

Browsing for Books

Today I had a fun experience that I hadn't enjoyed for a while: I went into a bookstore and browsed.

I've always loved to read, but I'm afraid I haven't done as much of it as I should have for the past several years, mostly because I've been spending a lot of time writing, editing and trying to get noticed. I still enjoy scanning a shelf, though, letting my eyes guide me to something interesting, so it was nice to have the opportunity again, thanks to my local bookstore, Spellbound. (And yes, I walked out of there with three books.)

Some people don't have a local bookstore, sadly, and this is becoming more common. So what should you do if this is the case? You can try a site like amazon.com, but you kind of have to know what you want there. Most of the time, book shopping isn't a matter of knowing what you want in advance.

Thanks to Facebook, I have found a website that can help. If you like to browse through books without exactly knowing what you want, this is the place: iAuthor
(It's based in the U.K. but has authors from the U.S. as well.)

The fun thing about this site is that you can search for books by either genre or theme. There is an amazing variety of themes, too: Fiction written in the first person singular, Books with a fiendishly clever twist, Female Protagonist, Funny Mysteries & Crime Fiction, etc. When you select a theme, you will see a whole page of book covers (and you can click on 'More" at the bottom). When you hover over a cover (wow, look at that fun phrase!), you can see a blurb on most of them. If you click on the cover, you can see all sorts of information about the book, the author, how to buy it, how many people liked the cover or the blurb, and how many people have recommended it. You can also learn more about the author.

I'm afraid I could get lost in there, but that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Give it a try sometime.

In case you're interested, you can find my novels in the themes Character-Driven Sci-Fi, Science Fiction and Space. I'll probably add them to more themes when I can. It's another way I hope to get my novels discovered.

I hope you'll take a look. Who knows? You might find your next favorite book!

On My Own ... For Now

I came home from work this past week to find a message on my answering machine. Before we get to the message: yes, I have an answering machine! No, I don't have a smartphone yet. (Insert amazed gasp from the audience here.)

I guess it's ironic that I write science fiction, which involves changes in technology that I haven't always embraced myself. My characters fly in a spaceship and I'm still using an answering machine. I never said I always make sense!

Anyway, the message was rather hard to understand but it appeared to be a publishing company. This gave me an instant rush of excitement: this was my big break! Next stop, New York Times Bestseller List! Fortunately, I do have some common sense, so I looked up the company online. I then realized it was not a publishing company, but a publishing service. They want me to pay them to format, design and market my book. (I'm not going to name the company since I decided not to go with them.) Thanks, but no thanks.

It made me think, though. If an actual publishing company called, would I go with them? At first, I thought, "Heck, yes!" But then I thought more about it. It's true that my marketing attempts are feeble and would be wildly improved by a national publisher, but that's one of the few benefits they could offer. Right now, I control my future and my novels. No one else has told me how to format the next novel or when to release it. No one else has told me what to blog about or what I need to put on my Facebook page. No one else has told me what my next story should involve. Those are the advantages of self-publishing.

I'm definitely not saying I wouldn't change my mind. If anyone at Tor is reading this, for example, I'd love to hear from you! But you'd better have a very good offer. The one thing a big publisher could do for me is this: they could spread the word and interest a whole new group of readers. I'd like that.

For now, I'm on my own. And that's okay.

For those of you who have been asking, I'm hoping to release the next novel in January. Thanks for your continued patience!

P.S. Happy Flag Day!

Book Signing Advice

You've been asked to do a book signing. Now what?

Well, first of all, don't panic! I'm one of the world's shyest people, so if I can do it, you can do it!

Your next step is to communicate with the people at the venue. Find out several things from them:
Who takes care of publicity? (Usually both of you will contribute to this.)
Where will you be located? (Don't let them stick you in the back. Near the front door is best.)
Will they provide a table? Chair? Book stand(s)? Pen(s)? (I always bring my own pens, just in case.)
Will people purchase the book from you or the store? (The store is better because they can take care of the sales tax.)
What is your share? (I wouldn't worry too much about this because you're really concerned more about publicity than money, but you don't want to get cheated either. If your books are on consignment there, you'll already know this.)

Make sure you tell everyone you know about the upcoming event. Post it everywhere you can online and put up posters wherever you might find book lovers (the library is a great place). Usually the venue will also want you to put up a poster. Make sure it looks good and gives the date, time and location. It should also feature your book(s) and give a teaser so people will want to come learn more about it/them.

As the day approaches, consider what you want to wear. Make it appropriate for the location and your genre. If you're a writer of children's books, I wouldn't recommend fishnet stockings! Don't be too formal because you want people to think you're approachable.

You should also consider how many of your books to bring with you. Often the venue can give advice on this, but you'll also have some idea of what to expect. If you're J.K. Rowling, you'll bring a few more books than if you're Diane McCallum. (I usually take five or ten copies.)

You should get there early so you can set things up the way you like. Arrange your books in a way that catches attention. Spread out any business cards, bookmarks or other materials you have. It's a good idea to have something that people can take with them, even if they don't buy anything. You never know if they might decide later that your book sounds good after all. (I have separate bookmarks for each of my novels.)

Have in mind what you're going to write when you sign the book, but beware: some people only want you to sign it, so ask first! I always get their name (and ask them to spell it, even if it's Jim) and ask who to make it out to, because sometimes the book is a gift. Think about what else you'd like to include to make it more personal. If there isn't a big line waiting, chat with the person to get some ideas. If there's a line (which has never happened to me), then have a fallback phrase that you can sign ("thanks for your support," "thanks for coming to the signing," something like that).

Here's the most important advice, though: make eye contact and smile! And have fun! If you're in a good mood and seem approachable, people will be more likely to step forward to meet you, even if they don't plan to buy a book. Sometimes you can convince them that they want to support you because you're such a nice, outgoing person ... and they'll buy a book. You never know.

With a little preparation, your first book signing will be an enjoyable experience. Even if you don't sell a single copy, you've made yourself available and received some valuable publicity.

Congratulations! This is one step in the process of getting your books discovered. Make the most of it.

Spellbound Book Signing

I made an appearance at Spellbound Bookstore and Cafe today as part of their Grand Re-Opening at their new location in Pittsburg, KS. I want to thank Brett for inviting me as one of the local authors for a book signing. If you go to their Facebook page, you can see a photo of the local authors in attendance (including me) and read reviews of their books (including Outsider). Here's the link: Spellbound FB Page

It was fun! We were there for two hours and I had plenty of time to chat with the other four authors, each of whom provided me with insights and good conversation. We all learned things from each other. Thank you to Kathy Manning Gronau, Loren Chancey, Melissa Fite Johnson and Richard Crooks!

Diane at Spellbound Bookstore 4-25-15

Quite a few people came in while we were there and I was asked some very good questions. It's always fun to "talk shop" and revisit how I managed to write my novels. I got some good feedback on Outsider and even sold two copies, so I'd call that a success.

It was good to see people supporting the local bookstore, too. I hope that will continue because it was sad when Pittsburg didn't have one. I wish Spellbound continued success!

I'm ready to do it again!

Distractions

I've been trying to work on the fourth novel but there have been a few distractions.
I finally got over my virus, only to be struck by monstrous allergies, which are threatening to rob me of my voice again! Argh. (See last week's blog about my voice.)

I also spent some time finishing up my second video, this one about my second novel, Another Shot. If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to do so here: Another Shot video  Let me know in the comments what you think. It was fun to make, although this one seemed a little harder than the first one. I think I was trying too hard this time around because I wanted it to be better than the first. I don't know if I succeeded or not, but at least it's out there.

I've also been spending entirely too much time on Facebook lately. I "blame" it on my good friend Bill Zahren (we met at Morningside College), who keeps posting updates on his first two novels. He's hoping to get the first one published this year and I wish him every success. He has a page where you can follow his progress here: Bill Zahren-author FB Page

Despite all this, I am getting some work done on the fourth novel. I'm pleased with the first seven chapters (although they could always use a little tweaking), but now I need to move on to the rest and make them better. In a few weeks, I'll let you know the title of the novel, but I'm still swirling it around in my head to see if I think it works.

The local bookstore, Spellbound, is planning some type of event for local authors in Pittsburg, KS, next weekend and I'm hoping to take part in it. I don't have any details yet, but I will post them on Facebook, Google+, my Amazon author page and my Goodreads author page as soon as I get them. Stay tuned!

And that's the latest! Thanks again for your support.

Spring Forward

Now that I have In the Shadows done, I can just sit back and put my feet up, right?

Not exactly.

For one thing, I'm still trying to drum up interest in it through this blog, Facebook, word of mouth, etc. And I'm working on another video to possibly catch the eye of people who might not otherwise have heard of the Penumbra series.

Then there's the fourth novel. Oh, yes, there's another one ... and I've learned my lesson with In the Shadows: this time I won't be waiting until September to start working on it. That was my fault and caused me all sorts of problems last year, so I'm going to try to avoid it this time. I'm working on a particularly difficult scene today (sorry, no hints yet!).

Does this mean I spend all of my time on the novels? Certainly not (although sometimes I wish I could spend at least a little more time on them). I have this thing called a job and it takes up quite a bit of time. Until some rich person feels like paying me to write, I'll be going there on weekdays.

But I do other fun things, too. I'll be joining my Audubon group tomorrow to trek into the country and look for short-eared owls. Trooping across a muddy field is well worth it when you get to see such amazing creatures (I'll let you decide if I'm talking about the owls or my fellow Auduboners).

So life goes on. I'm just glad it's going on while the temperature is starting to go up again! Longer days, too!

Thanks again for your support. Please keep spreading the word.

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you'll be able to spend the day with someone you love.
"I love you" never goes out of style.

In the Shadows is now available for Kindle on amazon.com. Be sure to note that if you buy the paperback, you can get the Kindle version for only 99 cents!

I have the bookmarks, too. There was a bit of a misunderstanding, which meant that the printers called to let me know my order was ready ... before I could look at a proof! Fortunately, when I went to look at them, I decided they weren't bad. The green was a little darker than I'd expected, but I think it works with the green that's in the cover image, so I'm happy with them.

I just registered for copyright protection today. You can find more about how I did this here.

Here's the poster I created to put up at work:

I've had some good responses so far. I want to thank my loyal readers, who get excited every time I release a new novel. You make a huge difference and I really appreciate you!

Let's keep spreading the word, okay?

Description of In the Shadows

I got the second proof copy for In the Shadows five days early! That means I have something to do all weekend, which is too bad because the weather here in southeast Kansas is beautiful. I did take a break long enough to go for a walk so I won't permanently become part of my reading chair.

While I was waiting for the latest proof copy, something suddenly occurred to me: I haven't yet released even the slightest description of In the Shadows! I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but at least I thought of it before I actually publish the novel.

So here is the cover blurb (fanfare optional):
Assassins are after Captain Ben Lamont and his co-pilot, someone has set an ambush for the crew of Penumbra, and there's a mysterious new wormhole at the edge of explored space.
Lamont has a lot to deal with, but he's determined to find out if they're connected and who's behind them. He'll stop at nothing ... until one of his crew members must make a terrible choice to expose the truth.
Then Lamont must decide: how far will he go for the answers?

I hope that piques your interest. There will be some new characters and you'll learn more about some of the regulars. As usual, I tried to throw a little action in there, too.

Stay tuned! (And please help me spread the word as we get closer to the release.)

Morningside

This week I'd like to give some recognition to my alma mater, Morningside College. Since they were kind enough to mention me in their latest issue of the alumni magazine, I'm returning the favor.

 I spent four good years at this small college in Sioux City, Iowa. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without those four years of education, friendship and discovery.
I want to thank my former professors for their patience as they tried to give me some understanding of how much I still had (and have) to learn. They imparted much wisdom and insight to someone who had none at the time (and could still use more).

It's been a while since I was there and I want to go back. I've been told that I'll hardly recognize the campus, which is probably true. I dug out an old photo from back in the day (I'll just keep the year to myself).

Charles City and Lewis Hall



I met my future husband at Morningside. I got to be an assistant editor of the campus newspaper and a DJ on the campus radio station. I made a lot of good friends.
I learned a few things, too.

Thank you, Morningside!

The Big 50

Believe it or not, this is my 50th blog post!

(I can hardly believe it myself. Who knew I could be so wordy? Oh, that's right: I'm an author. I'm supposed to be wordy.)

Okay, enough celebrating. I have some happy news and not-so-happy news this week.

First, the happy news: last weekend, just after I'd posted, the mail came ... and in it was an envelope from the Library of Congress. Yes, I got my copyright registration certificate for Another Shot! (Refer to that little guy above.) I was pretty excited, since it was way back in January that I applied for it. Now it's official.

The sad news is that the Hastings store in Pittsburg, KS, will be closing next month. That's where I had my first two book signings and where I was able to sell several copies of both novels on consignment. I want to thank their book manager, Courtney, for being so helpful and supportive. I also want to wish her and all of the other nice people who worked there the very best in the future.

Pittsburg, KS, Hastings store

Things change, not always for the better, but that's how we learn to adapt.
Here's to the future ...



(Happy guy provided by www.freesmileys.org.)

Spring Weather

Well, today it feels like spring in Southeast Kansas, even if it might be temporary.

I think the weather might be a reason I had a somewhat low turnout for my book signing: a lot of people probably had outside activities planned. For the first hour, sales were zero. I held on for the second hour, though, and ended up selling 8 books. That's not great (I sold 14 last year) but it's much better than zero!

I want to thank everyone who came out to see me. I really appreciated it! I also want to thank the two people who don't know me but still took a chance on my novel. I hope you'll like it!

I don't want to forget to thank Hastings for hosting me. They provided me with a place near the front door and agreed to keep copies of both novels on consignment.

(I was in a good spot because I was right in front of a rack full of DVDs of "The Big Bang Theory.")

And thanks to my kind husband for keeping me company during the slow times.

Now it's back to work on the third novel!

Reminder

Please don't forget that my book signing will be a week from today at the Hastings store in Pittsburg, KS, from 1:00 to 3:00. I'd love to have you stop by and say, "Hi!"

I ran around town yesterday and today, getting permission to put up my posters about the event. Most of the people I encountered were very nice. A barista at Starbucks offered to tell her regular customers about me. A man told me his wife's first name is the same as mine and introduced me to the woman running a small bookstore in the mall. A librarian moved a few posters to make room for mine on the bulletin board.

This all reminded me of a fact: I am not just a writer. I am also a marketer, as uncomfortable as that title makes me. I don't have a whole team of marketing specialists writing copy and putting my name out where everyone can see it. It's just little ol' me, setting up a book signing and posting away on the Internet.

But it's really not just me. It's you, too. I can sit at a little table in Hastings with a stack of books beside me, post as often as I can and even stand on a street corner waving a sign with the titles of my novels (although I haven't resorted to that last one yet), but it won't do much good if the word doesn't spread. In that sense, YOU are my marketing team. That's right: you! This doesn't mean you have to get Oprah to read one of my novels. It means that every time you mention one of my novels to a friend or relative, the word has spread that much farther. Maybe that person doesn't want to read my novel, but that's okay; maybe that person will mention it to someone who does want to read it. Maybe that person will mention it to two other people, who will mention it to two or three other people... See how that works?

This doesn't mean I'm going to sit back, put up my feet and wait for the world to rush to my door. What it does mean is this: I'll keep posting to this blog every week, but it's about time for me to start concentrating on writing again. Marketing is important, but it's not why I got into this. I did it because I love to write, so I'm ready to go back to that. I suspect my characters have a few more tales for me to tell!

Thanks for all of your support. I'll be working on the third novel!

Book Signing for Another Shot

Yes, it's time for me to do another book signing! I just set the date yesterday: Saturday, April 26, 2014. If you're anywhere near Pittsburg, KS, on that date, stop by Hastings at 2806 N. Broadway. I'll be there to autograph copies of both Another Shot and Outsider. I'd love to have you come in and say, "Hi." As an added incentive, there will be free refreshments!

My last book signing was a lot of fun, after the initial stress of preparation. I put up posters around town and even had an interview in the local newspaper, The Morning Sun. A lot of my friends came, so that made it enjoyable. (Thanks to all who attended last year!) I hope to have another good response this time. It's another way to show your support!

See you there!

Bookmarks & Spacesuits

I know that seems a rather unlikely combination, but I have news about both so that's the common denominator.

First of all, I have new bookmarks for Another Shot! The people who made the bookmarks for Outsider did such an excellent job that I went back to them ... and they didn't disappoint. They didn't need to change the design very much, but the color is royal purple instead of dark blue. I chose that because there's a tiny bit of purple in the cover image and the purple background really brings it out. I think it works. Unlike the first bookmarks, these include my blog address and Facebook page, so people can find me if they want to do that. (By the way, I tried to scan a bookmark so I could show part of it to you, but the scanner doesn't like it and keeps distorting the color.) I'll be handing out the bookmarks at various events and I'll probably donate some to the local library. What better place to find people who might use a bookmark?

I discovered the other news today on cnn.com: you can now vote for the design of the next NASA spacesuit! That's right: there are three potential designs and they want you to vote for one. However, when I read more carefully at the site, I learned that these suits will only be used for testing here on Earth, not in space. (So why call them spacesuits? Hmmmm... These will lead to the next design, which could be used in space, I guess.) Anyway, if you want to check out the three designs, they're here: http://jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov/z2/  (If you have trouble seeing the designs, refresh the page.) I'm leaning toward the Technology design, but I haven't voted yet. Feel free to leave a comment about which one you like or dislike the most. By the way, you can only vote until April 15, so vote soon!

Thanks again for your support.

Facebook Revisited

It seems that sometimes I needlessly worry about things and then they turn out to be not quite as scary as I first thought. Does that ever happen to you?

I wanted to create a simple URL for my Facebook page, but they wanted me to take a few steps that I didn't want to take. After seeking advice and receiving it from a very good source, I decided to take the leap. (As my hero, Ray Bradbury, would say, I jumped off the cliff and built my wings on the way down.)

The result is this: www.facebook.com/DianeMcCallumAuthor  That's a lot better than the last URL, isn't it? I certainly don't miss all those numbers!
(Thanks to my very good source! You know who you are.)

I know that changing a Facebook URL is not the biggest achievement in one's life (I've had many that were bigger), but it's one step in a long process. I felt I needed to take this step in order to move on to the next, which is important. Keep moving, keep trying.

Now that I've done that, I'd like to ask you for a favor: tell your friends on Facebook about my page. Let's build up those Likes and spread the word about Outsider and Another Shot. Thanks for your support!

Amazon

Contrary to my dealings with Facebook, which have not been favorable so far, I am happy with Amazon for having an author page that's rather easy to update. They even let me set up a quick and simple URL so people can easily find me there: www.amazon.com/author/dianemccallum . Thanks, Amazon, for being user-friendly!

Another Shot is off to a slow start, as far as sales go, but that's to be expected. It takes a while for word to spread. Remember that you are part of that: if you've read either of my novels and enjoyed it, please recommend it to your friends, family, co-workers, casual acquaintances, bus drivers, hairdressers, postal carriers, doctors, dentists, etc. I appreciate your support!

I'm thinking about having another book signing, but things are rather hectic around here right now, so it might not be until late March or April. I 'll let you know here and on the Amazon page once I set a date. You should also be able to find it on my Goodreads author page here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6911034.Diane_McCallum?from_search=true

Meanwhile, I'm working on the third novel. This one is going to require more work because I haven't spent as much time on it as the first two novels. We'll see if I can get this one ready by December or January. Stay tuned to this blog for updates!

Thanksgiving

As we approach Thanksgiving in the United States, I have a lot to be thankful for:
a wonderful husband, a loving family, good friends, a steady job, a published novel.
I wish you the best for the holiday and I hope your list is as long as mine, or longer.

The author reception at the library went well, although it seemed there were more authors than non-authors attending. It was fun to swap notes with some of the other authors and realize how different our experiences with publishing have been. One author has sold over 1,500 copies! I have a way to go before I get to that point, but it was fun to talk to someone who's been successful. It was a good way to spend an evening ... and I got free snacks!

Author Reception at Pittsburg Public Library, November 2013





I wish all of you a wonderful holiday ... and I'm thankful for your support.