Tag: psychic

Novels, Poetry, Short Stories, Writing

Where to next?

Hello friends and followers, It has taken me this whole week to recover from the emotional and physical fatigue workshop week-end cost me. I won’t be so knocked around by anxiety next time, if there is a next time. The good news on the back of that, is that for my Townsville and surrounds followers both ‘Escape to Danger’ and ‘Death, Danger and Dark Dreams’ are now available in paperback from Mary Who’s Bookshop in Flinders St.

My present missions are to finish the Prequel, ‘Comimg Home’ and Book 3, ‘At Curlew Cry’, of the Beaufort’s Landing series. I am feeling the weight of that demand as I ready Book 2, ‘Tidal Secrets’, for print.

So, instead of getting on with these, I’ve allowed myself to be distracted by covers. Yes, bloody covers again, but this time I have more positive news. I have gone in and changed the cover fonts so they look more of a set and more, I hope, in genre. What do you think of these?

A bit better I think.

Now, along with the above I’ve finally decided on the cover for ‘Ruth In Pieces’…no, seriously…I think. Oh, and I’ve altered the cover for my collection of dark tales and poems, ‘Death, Danger and Dark Dreams’ – to wit…

Oh rats, the ‘Death’ one is supposed to have the author in caps. I’ll go fix that, sigh. Anyway, you get the idea. Are these en pointe?

I also need to be getting on and readying RIP for print and finishing Book 3 of that trilogy. I’ll get there, but not too much pressure yet as I can’t really do much until Book 2 returns with its rejection from Allen & Unwin in September.

You’ll excuse me, I’m sure, as I have to get back to work.

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Novels, Short Stories, Writing

Book Cover Blues

Halfway through May, and I am still working on the Ruth In Pieces cover…slowly improving, but apparently still missing the mark. I am a stubborn ass and am determined to do something worthy of the genre. I must have done about 100 variations, and now have decided to take the last few to my Meet The Author/Workshop event in a couple of weeks 28/29th May. If your live in Townsville or environs. Come along and meet me on the Friday night and/or participate in the Workshop on short Stories. ALL FOR FREE.

I am going to write in more detail about this in the TIP-C group, if you’re interested in the gory details.

In the meantime, I have to confess I haven’t done much work on actually writing my mystery Series. Escape to Danger is available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.The ebook of Tidal Secrets is up on Amazon and the paperbook will be up soon. The Curlew’s Cry is languishing badly, but I will be back on track by beginning June.

This link will take you to my page and You will be able to read some of the first pages, almost all of chapter 1.

The psychological thriller books, Ruth In Pieces being the first of the trilogy, is up on Amazon in ebook form also. However with a cover I”m told just won’t do…see above. Book 2 is with Allen and Unwin. Book 3 is in the pupa stage and vaguely mapped out with a start on Chapter 1 having been made…

I know you want to tell me to concentrate on one thing at a time, and I would if I could. Don’t worry I’ll get there…ummmm, yair of course I will.

My good twin Rosa Christian has been busy as well. Her blog will go up tomorrow on Rosa’s Work.

In the meantime, I need you to sign up for my newsletter and/or do a review for me on Amazon. If you do subscribe you get a FREE sample of the short story anthology Death, Danget and Dark Dreams. Just a mouse click away.

Thank you in advance.

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P.S. If you are an author, formatter, cover designer or otherwise involved in book publishing don’t for get to visit TIP-C and share your invaluable knowledge, experience and insights.

Novels, Writing

Ta Daa!


So, I’ve done it. Book 2 in the Beaufort’s Landing Series is now available as an ebook on Amazon. It was fun visiting Xelma again for the final read through. Hope I caught all the errors. Let me know if you find any.

Speaking of which, I went into my author page on Amazon and I have a big beautiful 5 star review on Escape to Danger Book 1 of Beaufort’s Landing Series.

“I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very vivid and I got a real sense of what life is like in the tropics! The lead character wasn’t your classic heroine. She didn’t need saving! But it was thrilling and nail-biting all the same when she found herself in dangerous situations. I also enjoyed the fact that she had psychic skills. A very absorbing and page turning read!”

Whoo hoo!

I have determined that I really need to learn the marketing side of this biz. but it all feels so big and so much to learn it’s overwhelming. Still I must make a start. So, presently am trying to find reviewers and start a newsletter for followers of my writing. Trouble is of course that everything costs, not necessarily a lot but each little bit adds to the other and before I know it I”m even more skint. Ah the woes, eh?

What this means for my blog post is that personal guff will now appear in my newsletters and the blog will be more aimed at the writing process and those authors that I love and their stories etc etc. God knows when this will happen but there will eventually be a button for you to subscribe to my newsletter. Watch this space.

Having said that, I’d better get stuck into it. Cheers, Percy.

Writing

Feeling Frustrated!!

Hi, I apologise for the lapse of time since my last post, but I have been wrestling with trying to get paperback prints of my books. I really, really wanted to go local…Look, I know that they can’t quote as low as the bigger printers, but no one I approached would even come down to a viable print-cost for me, the author. I tried to explain: 1. That I didn’t expect the same prices as larger printing firms, but needed something reasonable. 2. That there would be many orders to follow. 3. That there are other authors in Townsville, of whom there are many, who are interested in supporting local industry. 4. That I really, really wanted to support local.

BUT…no one wanted to come to the party! One company had given me a quote some months earlier, so I went to them to explain all the above. The woman agreed to give me a new quote, which duly arrived by email…it was even more than the first!

SO…I thought surely someone in Australia must be able to do better. I sent off for quotes with the above information, to several companies. No quote came near, many didn’t bother answering, or returning calls.

NEXT…I decided I’d probably better go with the international printing company which has printing facilities in Melbourne. Lots of authors in Australia use this company, with apparently no problems. After a number of errors in uploading by me, due in large part to the non-intuitive way of finding one’s way around their pages, the book got the go ahead and I went on to add the info needed. However, my account has been stuck for weeks with the message on it saying ‘revision incomplete’, and I can’t find how to get into wherever that can be fixed. I rang to get help, was told their people were busy and they would ring me back. That was 2 weeks ago.

NOW…I am going to try to start there, with a clean slate. I will remove my book completely and start from dot one…fingers crossed.

IF THAT DOESN’T WORK…I will have to fork out big bucks for overseas printing. Costs are quoted in USD and look very reasonable until you convert and add the inordinately high cost of delivery, which I expect is because of the weights involved.

AAaarrrrgggg!

Er, excuse me…I know this is a long whinge, but I am so frustrated I feel like I’m going nuts, I’m invisible, don’t matter and am bloody useless.

LOL…on the upside, Book 2 of the Beaufort’s Landing Series is almost ready to go up on Amazon. I’m just dickering around about the title. I think I’ve settled on ‘Tidal Secrets’…almost, I think.

I will try to be happier in my next post. If you can help me overcome this printing conundrum, I would appreciate it very much.

Wish me luck, Percy.