So many of you have reached out that I thought it was time for a social media update.
I love to write, but life has presented a few unexpected detours.
For years, I was a full-time caregiver for my lovely mother. As her needs increased, my writing time steadily decreased. Then came COVID. For two years, we barely left home. Obviously, she needed my full attention, which I was happy to give. She was/is an angelic being.
Eventually, Mom passed away peacefully. Afterwards, I needed time to regroup. Unplugging my phone became my new favorite pastime.
Before long, I began to work on my first three books. As a self-taught graphic designer, I do everything myself, and every step takes time. Because these books are short, I decided to increase the page count by decreasing the trim size. That meant every interior page had to be reformatted. Changing the page count also changed the spine width, so each cover had to be resized as well. Rather than simply resize them, I took the opportunity to give them a fresh look. Thanks to the golden talent of artist Terrence Kennedy—whom many of you know—the covers look so much more refined.
My creativity flourished—until I was diagnosed with breast cancer. As I’ve shared before, that diagnosis and everything that followed was like having a stop sign thrust in front of me. Healing took precedence, and once again my writing projects were put on hold.
Fast forward a year and a half. Thankfully, my mammograms have been clear, with no signs of cancer. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to my GoFundMe page. Your kindness and generosity made a significant difference. I still have ongoing concerns and frequent appointments with both holistic and traditional physicians, but in between those visits I am finally, wholeheartedly back to writing.
Soon, I hope to print all three manuscripts for one final read-through. (Yes, I have an amazing editor. I still like to give each book one last careful review myself.)
Next, I plan to shift my book distribution from Lightning Source to Ingram Spark. Once that is set and the updated documents are uploaded, I will learn Atticus and convert the print versions of my books to interiors and covers suitable for eBook distribution, which I will then upload to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Then (drum roll please) I’ll finally be ready to begin marketing.
If you are wondering why I don’t let Ingram Spark distribute to Amazon for me, KDP offers a promotional feature I like. If you go exclusive with your eBook distribution, you can give your book away for free for 5 days of your choice over a 90 day period.
And then comes the part I’ve been eagerly anticipating: my next three books. One is my very first work of fiction, inspired by a dream. It is such a fun project.
Thank you for your patience, your encouragement, and for staying with me through this journey. More updates soon!
