The harder I work, the luckier I get - Samuel Goldwyn
Sorry, I have been oh so lame at blogging at the moment. Why? Well work has started on the short story kindle book currently called Indian Diaries. It will feature 25 (or thereabouts) short stories ( more like flash fiction but the idea is that the stories are short, concise, focus on the picture and are thought provoking) to accompany beautiful photographs (all black and white) set in India.
I also signed my publishing deal (whoo hooo) although I will celebrate only when the book is actually on bookshelves in shops- I know its going to be a long journey from here on in. I am super excited. I have never had an agent, editor or a publisher or publicist for that matter who I have worked with. What’s different to this experience from self publishing is that you know at the point of being offered the contract (even if they withdraw it after- which I am hoping they dont do!) that someone out there wants to invest their money in to your talent. Instantaneously you feel like a credible author. You are perceived as a credible author. That’s not to say the same thing cant happen if you are self published but you have to have a lot of confidence for that (no matter how well your book is selling and most of us don’t have that).
It also feels good to know that someone will go through it all with a fine tooth-comb. I was anticipating doing all this myself for self publication in July and now I am a little experienced after GT, but at least all this has been taken out of my hands. And it takes time and energy so at least I will save myself all that bother - although I know I have to get the marketing right!
I am a bit worried about the re-writes as well. Like- how many are there going to be? That was one question I failed to ask my agent! But I guess when you sign your first book deal and you are relatively unknown then you have to take what you are given. If they want 100 re-writes then that’s what I will have to do. Everything cant be rosy!
Anyway book deal aside (I’ll update you as I get further correspondence from them- as well as the signed contract). I have nearly written the first draft of all the stories for Indian Diaries (see I have been busy). I have decide to wake up half an hour early every day to get more done in my day. So far its working well. I don’t feel like my life is sleep, work, sleep, work – with cleaning, cooking and writing thrown in for good measure. No its odd but I feel like I have more time for myself- even if I am depriving myself of sleep.
H is not happy about the name Indian Diaries but I think it will work, not only that now I am thinking of doing a marketing plan before we actually release the book. It all has to be good to go. I have my first meeting with the photographer(Urmi Kenia) next week. I am also coercing her into starting her own blog or and website.
I also had a bit of a boost this week- I took my first chapter of Under The Coconut Tree to writing group. Although for the first time in ages I was half confident that this was an okay piece of writing I was still nervous. But it was humorous and had a couple of hooks- it worked. People liked it and it got several laughs. It's odd moving from writing a psychological thriller to a comedy detective even if it does involve dead bodies!
I am planning to complete the draft of Chupplejeep by the end of March. I have brought the deadline forwards because its dragging now and it needs to get done. So this may mean allotting a week in March to Chupplejeep - I am talking skeleton draft here with a quick read through to check it all makes sense.
I am thinking that unlike with Bittersweet and GT, I may hold on to Under The Coconut Tree until I complete a second book in the series - which I have already written the plot line for (Its called The Body in the Bath). This way the characters can fully develop and I can go back to the first and make amends. I would like to say that by the end of 2014 I will have two complete and polished manuscripts for Chupplejeep- that's the true start to a series, isn't it? Oh and I am going to sign up for that grammar course!
In the interim as I have to have something going at the same time I need to complete - Living the Dream (WIP) I have discussed this before- I am about 10,000 words in, with a plot line drafted but it is a similar genre to The Bittersweet and I think I should provide it as a follow up, especially if Bittersweet is popular.
I have checked my sales today and GT is not doing as well as the last couple of months. I suppose all books have their peaks and troughs but it is making me think whether I need to give it a bit of a marketing push - before I put the price up at the end of March. Mmmm Perhaps I will give it a bit of a Facebook and twitter Offensive. I have not been mentioning it in fear of harassing people.
