I usually don't like to suggest products, but this one is worth looking at if you are ready to promote your novel. It doesn't matter if you are traditionally published or self-published; promotion is your responsibility unless your name is Stephen King, which it is not, because he wouldn’t be reading this blog in the first place.
A friend introduced me to the concept of sending inexpensive cards to everyone I know, might know or could know to promote the book once it is on Amazon. At first, I was not interested because I didn’t want to become a distributor just to get cards wholesale. It was a pleasant surprise to find out I could just pay a wholesale up-front fee and then be able to purchase the cards for 94 cents each, plus the postage cost. Have you tried buying a professional looking card in a store lately? You have to mortgage the ranch to afford them. Sendacard (click the title of this blog) is very reasonable and very professional looking, as is the envelope.
This is just one viable way to promote your novel. My publisher recommends: Blog, Twitter and Facebook. It’s a full time job keeping all of these options up and running on a daily basis, but this is what it takes to get noticed in the real world!
If you would like to see what the cover of my card looks like, check out www.murdermysteryevilinthemirror.com and click the book cover section.
Have a productive day,
Mittster
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Strawberry Cake
Last Saturday, we celebrated my mother-in-law, Betty’s, 83rd birthday with a steak dinner at our house. Unfortunately, her two sons and one grandson living in Michigan were unable to attend. Her other grandson did attend, but minus his wife because she is in Australia visiting friends. Damn, she makes me mad; we should be there too! Oh well, that’s another blog…
It’s true; I have the best mother-in-law in the world. I call her mother, because mine passed about the same time as Betty’s husband in 1996. The first time I called her mom she protested that she wasn’t my mother. I simply reminded her that she was the only mom I had. From that point on she no longer protested, and in fact seems comfortable having another son.
It is apparent that there is some truth to the term generation gap, because she and I don’t see eye to eye on most issues. One thing we do agree on is strawberry cake. After a great dinner, we surprised her with the most scrumptious strawberry cake you have ever seen. It may have been store bought, but it looked and tasted fantastic. We dug into the cake like wild banshees even though we were stuffed from Sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs and fresh green salad.
After desert, the group looked like fattened pigs on market day. There is nothing like a good meal to reaffirm family ties and remind us of how lucky we are to live in a country like America.
Strawberry cake also reminds us that spring has sprung, and not too soon for me. Bring on summer, watermelon, swimming, hamburgers, cold drinks and family. Life is good and I am loving it…
Mittster
It’s true; I have the best mother-in-law in the world. I call her mother, because mine passed about the same time as Betty’s husband in 1996. The first time I called her mom she protested that she wasn’t my mother. I simply reminded her that she was the only mom I had. From that point on she no longer protested, and in fact seems comfortable having another son.
It is apparent that there is some truth to the term generation gap, because she and I don’t see eye to eye on most issues. One thing we do agree on is strawberry cake. After a great dinner, we surprised her with the most scrumptious strawberry cake you have ever seen. It may have been store bought, but it looked and tasted fantastic. We dug into the cake like wild banshees even though we were stuffed from Sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs and fresh green salad.
After desert, the group looked like fattened pigs on market day. There is nothing like a good meal to reaffirm family ties and remind us of how lucky we are to live in a country like America.
Strawberry cake also reminds us that spring has sprung, and not too soon for me. Bring on summer, watermelon, swimming, hamburgers, cold drinks and family. Life is good and I am loving it…
Mittster
Sunday, April 11, 2010
From There to Here
The journey from wanna-be writer to a published author is a long and tedious trip, but one with adventure, learning, disappointments and triumphs. The trail is rocky and uphill, with few smooth downhill runs. I have sometimes lamented, “What in the hell possessed me?” and other times wondered, “Why haven’t I always done this?”
In my younger years, I would start writing with pen and paper, only to be discouraged by my lack of experience and maturity. Many times a book would start with ideas bombarding me at breathtaking speed, only to be lost because of my day job, responsibilities, and failing interest due to lack of concentration. It wasn’t until the advent of word processing on computers and my advancement to writing contracts and correspondence in the construction industry that the spark was again ignited and creative writing became a reality.
About the time I learned touch typing from a CD, the Internet became available to the general public. How many people started out on the Internet with AOL? I know I did and dial-up was big news. Being part of it all was exciting. It wasn’t long though that dial-up became a nightmare in slowness. High speed was the way and I became a techno nerd. I was on my way to learning computers the hard way. “Crash and burn” was a way of life with me, but after each mistake and then correction, I learned more. When a PC became part of the tools needed in the job site trailer, life was good, even when I would crash the darn thing trying to install new software. After each resurrection, I felt pride of accomplishment and wiser for the mistake.
In 1996, I wrote my first short story called Mitt Spoken Here. It was a rambling work about life, death, religion and salvation. I passed copies to family and friends but did not even think about publication. Besides, being self-published was just a dream at that time. The piece became part of the now published The Smoking Guardian Angel’s Guide To Quit Smoking. About the same time, I wrote a short piece called Why Harley-Davidson. It later became part of the published work called Why I Ride Harleys. Little did I know that ten years after writing these short works that they would become part of my first published books! I also wrote a few poems during this time and included them in the stop smoking book. I am so thankful for the foresight to save all my writing; somehow I knew these early attempts would come in handy someday.
Someone told me once that I would never find a publisher and I would never make money writing. That person should read Evil in the Mirror, because if you believe you can’t do something, you will never be able to do it. I agree that money can be a strong motivator if you are on unemployment and the wolf is at the door, but writing must be your passion long before it can become your profession. Yes, the statistics are daunting considering how many books are written each year and then compared to how many are published. In my mind the reason is simple. There are millions of people who are not writing about their passions; instead they are writing about what they think people want to read. Now this last sentence can be true about e-Books. Let’s face it; this style of writing is based on demand. That’s why people writing e-Books always research the market first and the content second. This is still creative writing, because ultimately you have to sell the reader on the book’s content.
My passion was a novel with romance, thrills, spills, and even murder. After publishing two small books, I knew it was time to get to work and write the novel that had been festering in my head for 25 years! Yes, I want to be a famous and wealthy author; but more than that, I want to finish my novel knowing it is the very best I had to offer and gives the reader value for their hard earned money.
During the process of writing Evil in the Mirror, each and every character has become real to me. I laugh, love, cry and hate right along with all the people in this book. My only fear when I started this book was that delving into the dark side of human existence would somehow rub off on my physique. It had taken me all these years to get to a place in my mind and heart that is based on the Golden Rule. Of course, my concerns were unfounded, because from the very first I identified with the main character, Detective John Mull. I am safe with him leading the way through the darkness of truly evil people.
The most important tool in getting published is recognition. If you click on the title of this blog, you will see many Web sites that pertain to my writings. I simply learned how to build Web sites and promoted them like a wild banshee. I made and am still making a ton of mistakes, but after each one, my expertise improves. When these sites became visible by climbing higher on search engines, I started getting offers from e-Book publishers concerning my two short books. My research indicated that it was best to rent space on a virtual book store for a small fee and market the books through my Web sites. My wife and I decided to spend the money for printing at a local print shop, and we had 500 copies of each book done for those buyers who would want signed copies they could carry with them. This move opened the door for local book signings and promotions. This was before signing with Wheatmark, Inc. Since then I have pulled the e-Books off the market so to speak, to be able to focus 100% on my novel.
It is important to note that during this whole process, my E-mail account started to be bombarded with get-rich-quick schemes that are only a nuisance and of no value whatsoever. My first effort to sell e-Books was with this kind of scam, and it only cost more money with every passing day. I like to call these types of offers "reverse pyramids." The first hook is that for $19.95 you will be shown how to sell their books online and make a fortune while lying on the couch in your pjs, drinking beer, and watching TV. The next day when you check to see if you have sold any books, you are told about the next step which only costs $29.95. It was at this point that a bell went off, and I licked my wounds, retreated, never to return. When I stopped participating in their program, I received cell phone calls, day and night, from people who could hardly speak English wondering why I wasn’t spending more money to become successful. The deluge lasted for months, until finally the calls stopped after I continued to hang up in the middle of their conversation!
I find the easy part is writing, but even this can be a challenge when it comes to proofing. My wonderful wife proofs everything I write, including what you are reading now. She has much experience, having worked her way to an executive position at a worldwide company, but even this is not good enough. Before you look for a publisher, your work must shine like new 50-dollar gold piece and proofing should always be done professionally! You also need a publicist to represent you and your work. Now is when it becomes nice if you know someone who is published and can help you with the challenges.
Oh, did I mention that if it were easy there would be billions of people doing it? Writers are made, not born, and it is through trial and tribulation that they become recognized. Your work must be unique to begin with if you are to compete. Passion and perseverance is the key to success in writing. Belief in yourself and your work should always be your goal. Focus on you and your story. When that is done, focus on promoting your work.
It's all up to you...I say, "Go for it!"
Mittster
In my younger years, I would start writing with pen and paper, only to be discouraged by my lack of experience and maturity. Many times a book would start with ideas bombarding me at breathtaking speed, only to be lost because of my day job, responsibilities, and failing interest due to lack of concentration. It wasn’t until the advent of word processing on computers and my advancement to writing contracts and correspondence in the construction industry that the spark was again ignited and creative writing became a reality.
About the time I learned touch typing from a CD, the Internet became available to the general public. How many people started out on the Internet with AOL? I know I did and dial-up was big news. Being part of it all was exciting. It wasn’t long though that dial-up became a nightmare in slowness. High speed was the way and I became a techno nerd. I was on my way to learning computers the hard way. “Crash and burn” was a way of life with me, but after each mistake and then correction, I learned more. When a PC became part of the tools needed in the job site trailer, life was good, even when I would crash the darn thing trying to install new software. After each resurrection, I felt pride of accomplishment and wiser for the mistake.
In 1996, I wrote my first short story called Mitt Spoken Here. It was a rambling work about life, death, religion and salvation. I passed copies to family and friends but did not even think about publication. Besides, being self-published was just a dream at that time. The piece became part of the now published The Smoking Guardian Angel’s Guide To Quit Smoking. About the same time, I wrote a short piece called Why Harley-Davidson. It later became part of the published work called Why I Ride Harleys. Little did I know that ten years after writing these short works that they would become part of my first published books! I also wrote a few poems during this time and included them in the stop smoking book. I am so thankful for the foresight to save all my writing; somehow I knew these early attempts would come in handy someday.
Someone told me once that I would never find a publisher and I would never make money writing. That person should read Evil in the Mirror, because if you believe you can’t do something, you will never be able to do it. I agree that money can be a strong motivator if you are on unemployment and the wolf is at the door, but writing must be your passion long before it can become your profession. Yes, the statistics are daunting considering how many books are written each year and then compared to how many are published. In my mind the reason is simple. There are millions of people who are not writing about their passions; instead they are writing about what they think people want to read. Now this last sentence can be true about e-Books. Let’s face it; this style of writing is based on demand. That’s why people writing e-Books always research the market first and the content second. This is still creative writing, because ultimately you have to sell the reader on the book’s content.
My passion was a novel with romance, thrills, spills, and even murder. After publishing two small books, I knew it was time to get to work and write the novel that had been festering in my head for 25 years! Yes, I want to be a famous and wealthy author; but more than that, I want to finish my novel knowing it is the very best I had to offer and gives the reader value for their hard earned money.
During the process of writing Evil in the Mirror, each and every character has become real to me. I laugh, love, cry and hate right along with all the people in this book. My only fear when I started this book was that delving into the dark side of human existence would somehow rub off on my physique. It had taken me all these years to get to a place in my mind and heart that is based on the Golden Rule. Of course, my concerns were unfounded, because from the very first I identified with the main character, Detective John Mull. I am safe with him leading the way through the darkness of truly evil people.
The most important tool in getting published is recognition. If you click on the title of this blog, you will see many Web sites that pertain to my writings. I simply learned how to build Web sites and promoted them like a wild banshee. I made and am still making a ton of mistakes, but after each one, my expertise improves. When these sites became visible by climbing higher on search engines, I started getting offers from e-Book publishers concerning my two short books. My research indicated that it was best to rent space on a virtual book store for a small fee and market the books through my Web sites. My wife and I decided to spend the money for printing at a local print shop, and we had 500 copies of each book done for those buyers who would want signed copies they could carry with them. This move opened the door for local book signings and promotions. This was before signing with Wheatmark, Inc. Since then I have pulled the e-Books off the market so to speak, to be able to focus 100% on my novel.
It is important to note that during this whole process, my E-mail account started to be bombarded with get-rich-quick schemes that are only a nuisance and of no value whatsoever. My first effort to sell e-Books was with this kind of scam, and it only cost more money with every passing day. I like to call these types of offers "reverse pyramids." The first hook is that for $19.95 you will be shown how to sell their books online and make a fortune while lying on the couch in your pjs, drinking beer, and watching TV. The next day when you check to see if you have sold any books, you are told about the next step which only costs $29.95. It was at this point that a bell went off, and I licked my wounds, retreated, never to return. When I stopped participating in their program, I received cell phone calls, day and night, from people who could hardly speak English wondering why I wasn’t spending more money to become successful. The deluge lasted for months, until finally the calls stopped after I continued to hang up in the middle of their conversation!
I find the easy part is writing, but even this can be a challenge when it comes to proofing. My wonderful wife proofs everything I write, including what you are reading now. She has much experience, having worked her way to an executive position at a worldwide company, but even this is not good enough. Before you look for a publisher, your work must shine like new 50-dollar gold piece and proofing should always be done professionally! You also need a publicist to represent you and your work. Now is when it becomes nice if you know someone who is published and can help you with the challenges.
Oh, did I mention that if it were easy there would be billions of people doing it? Writers are made, not born, and it is through trial and tribulation that they become recognized. Your work must be unique to begin with if you are to compete. Passion and perseverance is the key to success in writing. Belief in yourself and your work should always be your goal. Focus on you and your story. When that is done, focus on promoting your work.
It's all up to you...I say, "Go for it!"
Mittster
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Screw Writer's Block
An author friend of mine asked me recently how to stop writer's block. I listened intently about her problem and after she finished explaining her dilemma, I recommended that we both research the subject on the Web together and see what was cooking with writer's block.
If you click the title of this blog, you will find the site my friend and I thought addressed the problem best. We discussed "The Ten Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block" and agreed there was some helpful information and that at least four tips were particularly insightful.
2. Don't Be To Hard on Yourself:
This one really hit the nail on the head. As authors (especially newbie writers), we have the tendency to beat ourselves senseless at every opportunity. Lighten up, dudes and dudettes. Be kind to yourself, and laugh it off. Besides, why would you pay people to proof and edit your book if it is perfect to begin with. Trust me, it won't be anywhere close to perfect until this process is complete.
4. Take Time Off If You Have Just Finished a Project:
After I finished Evil in the Mirror, and the manuscript was sent to the publisher for proofing and editing, I must admit to starting three books simultaneously. I had to come up with not only a sequel, but two other book ideas that had been festering in my pea picker for years. I soon discovered that the most important thing for me to do was take my creative energy and start building an Author's Platform. In other words; figure out how I was going to market the book I had already written. I know my publisher is clamoring for another book to publish in conjunction with the one finished, but all in good time folks. "First things first" needs to be your plan.
7. Work On More Than One Project At a Time:
Shades of tip number 4. As it turned out, maybe having simultaneous projects is not such a bad thing. This tip may not be for everyone, but it's great to have future book ideas started and then you can come back to them at a later date. Personally, I like to focus and really dig in when writing a novel. I only come up for air when the body of the work is complete.
10. Remember Why You Started To Write In The First Place:
I liked this one a whole bunch. How many times have you heard how important it is to live your dreams with passion? I don't care what you do for a living, if it isn't what you want to do and there is no passion, it sucks! This goes for life in general, does it not? If your passion is to write and create works that thrill your readers, then forget writer's block, get on with it.
There you have it...write with passion, gusto and honesty. Don't worry about mistakes. Hell, I haven't made a mistake since "what time is it?"
If you click the title of this blog, you will find the site my friend and I thought addressed the problem best. We discussed "The Ten Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block" and agreed there was some helpful information and that at least four tips were particularly insightful.
2. Don't Be To Hard on Yourself:
This one really hit the nail on the head. As authors (especially newbie writers), we have the tendency to beat ourselves senseless at every opportunity. Lighten up, dudes and dudettes. Be kind to yourself, and laugh it off. Besides, why would you pay people to proof and edit your book if it is perfect to begin with. Trust me, it won't be anywhere close to perfect until this process is complete.
4. Take Time Off If You Have Just Finished a Project:
After I finished Evil in the Mirror, and the manuscript was sent to the publisher for proofing and editing, I must admit to starting three books simultaneously. I had to come up with not only a sequel, but two other book ideas that had been festering in my pea picker for years. I soon discovered that the most important thing for me to do was take my creative energy and start building an Author's Platform. In other words; figure out how I was going to market the book I had already written. I know my publisher is clamoring for another book to publish in conjunction with the one finished, but all in good time folks. "First things first" needs to be your plan.
7. Work On More Than One Project At a Time:
Shades of tip number 4. As it turned out, maybe having simultaneous projects is not such a bad thing. This tip may not be for everyone, but it's great to have future book ideas started and then you can come back to them at a later date. Personally, I like to focus and really dig in when writing a novel. I only come up for air when the body of the work is complete.
10. Remember Why You Started To Write In The First Place:
I liked this one a whole bunch. How many times have you heard how important it is to live your dreams with passion? I don't care what you do for a living, if it isn't what you want to do and there is no passion, it sucks! This goes for life in general, does it not? If your passion is to write and create works that thrill your readers, then forget writer's block, get on with it.
There you have it...write with passion, gusto and honesty. Don't worry about mistakes. Hell, I haven't made a mistake since "what time is it?"
Friday, April 9, 2010
Evil in the Mirror
I thought I would pass on the latest news about my new mystery novel, Evil in the Mirror. We are getting close to publishing and I am like "a cat on a hot tin roof."
We are planning to do a book signing in Escondido, California during this year's reunion "Same Time Next Year" bash in August. (Maybe at the Round Table Pizza Saturday night?) The book will be out in June, so I can't wait for the 50th. reunion in 2011, the 49th. will have to do...the prodigal son returns sort of thing. I know, "vanity, vanity, all is vanity." I have the need to prove something I guess. My evil twin, Walt, and I were such screw-ups in high school, but we turned out OK in the end.
The following is the response from Wheatmark Publishing after I E-mailed the final revisions for the grabber and acknowledgements:
Right now you just hang out, enjoy the fabulous Arizona spring, and around the 17th. I’ll be sending you an interior and cover for your Author Proof Review: Stage 1.
After that, you’ll submit any corrections you have, we’ll make them, you’ll look over it again, you’ll submit corrections, rinse, repeat until perfect.
Once perfect, you’ll sign a Proof Approval Form giving me permission to release the book into the wild. Then three weeks later, you’ll have books in hand to annoy your friends and family with! It’s going to be sweet!
Kat E. Gautreaux
Wheatmark, Inc.
Yes, it is sweet, Ms. Kat, but the real work begins after the book is published. The whole process is exciting and worth every minute invested. Full speed ahead and damn the tomatoes!
We are planning to do a book signing in Escondido, California during this year's reunion "Same Time Next Year" bash in August. (Maybe at the Round Table Pizza Saturday night?) The book will be out in June, so I can't wait for the 50th. reunion in 2011, the 49th. will have to do...the prodigal son returns sort of thing. I know, "vanity, vanity, all is vanity." I have the need to prove something I guess. My evil twin, Walt, and I were such screw-ups in high school, but we turned out OK in the end.
The following is the response from Wheatmark Publishing after I E-mailed the final revisions for the grabber and acknowledgements:
Right now you just hang out, enjoy the fabulous Arizona spring, and around the 17th. I’ll be sending you an interior and cover for your Author Proof Review: Stage 1.
After that, you’ll submit any corrections you have, we’ll make them, you’ll look over it again, you’ll submit corrections, rinse, repeat until perfect.
Once perfect, you’ll sign a Proof Approval Form giving me permission to release the book into the wild. Then three weeks later, you’ll have books in hand to annoy your friends and family with! It’s going to be sweet!
Kat E. Gautreaux
Wheatmark, Inc.
Yes, it is sweet, Ms. Kat, but the real work begins after the book is published. The whole process is exciting and worth every minute invested. Full speed ahead and damn the tomatoes!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Meteorite Men
I watched Meteorite Men on the Science Channel last night and it has inspired me to load the equipment in my Toyota Tundra and head to Cottonwood, Arizona for a look-see today. I noticed Geoff has a Tundra truck also. Maybe it’s an omen or something?
Watching Steve and Geoff wade in the Texas mud reminded me of the mud in Kansas when I was working construction at the Fort Riley Army Base. God, it was awful stuff. The more you walked, the thicker it caked on your boots until they weighed so much you had to stop and try to scrape it off so you could continue to walk. Watching the two meteorite hunters duck hornet’s nests while walking in a grove of trees gave me the creeps too. Everything in Texas is big, including, but not limited to, HORNETS!
Again, I have to take my hat off to these guys. It’s not enough to know that Steve and Geoff have a successful TV show. They are also fearless, hard working men with enough grit to sharpen a knife blade! I can’t help but make a comparison with the program Pawn Stars (http://www.history.com/shows/pawn-stars) on the History Channel. It would be great if the Pawn Stars could be in the same physical shape as the Meteorite Men. I do like both programs and I suppose being out of shape has its place, especially if your name is Chumley.
Well, it’s off to the desert for me. If I don’t return, it is because the desert beat me, or I found a 500 pound rocky meteorite and retired to Costa Rica…
Mittster
Watching Steve and Geoff wade in the Texas mud reminded me of the mud in Kansas when I was working construction at the Fort Riley Army Base. God, it was awful stuff. The more you walked, the thicker it caked on your boots until they weighed so much you had to stop and try to scrape it off so you could continue to walk. Watching the two meteorite hunters duck hornet’s nests while walking in a grove of trees gave me the creeps too. Everything in Texas is big, including, but not limited to, HORNETS!
Again, I have to take my hat off to these guys. It’s not enough to know that Steve and Geoff have a successful TV show. They are also fearless, hard working men with enough grit to sharpen a knife blade! I can’t help but make a comparison with the program Pawn Stars (http://www.history.com/shows/pawn-stars) on the History Channel. It would be great if the Pawn Stars could be in the same physical shape as the Meteorite Men. I do like both programs and I suppose being out of shape has its place, especially if your name is Chumley.
Well, it’s off to the desert for me. If I don’t return, it is because the desert beat me, or I found a 500 pound rocky meteorite and retired to Costa Rica…
Mittster
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Reach For The Prize
I will be in great company once my book is published by Wheatmark, Inc. If you get a chance, click the title to this blog and research another Wheatmark author, James D. Best. This guy is a great writer and he also helps newbies with relevant advice and guidance.
I am totally convinced that a publishing partnership with Wheatmark is the only way to go...they teach you how to grab the best seller prize. It's hard work, but what in life is really worth going after if it is easy? Besides, if it were easy, everyone and their mother would be doing it and the quality would be dismal.
Personally, I like the challenge. It keeps me out of trouble...
Mittster
I am totally convinced that a publishing partnership with Wheatmark is the only way to go...they teach you how to grab the best seller prize. It's hard work, but what in life is really worth going after if it is easy? Besides, if it were easy, everyone and their mother would be doing it and the quality would be dismal.
Personally, I like the challenge. It keeps me out of trouble...
Mittster
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