Up and running!

Well, it's done. The book is published, print version available for sale, and the Kindle version will be released on Monday. It's finally done!

It's kind of an odd feeling to actually be finished with something that has filled my life for nearly two years. I'm trying not to reread it--one more time-- because I know I'll find something that I know could be better (or worse still a typo or formatting glitch). But it's time to let it go and see if it can run.

My MA hooding was last night--the formal end of my educational career--so the timing of all this just couldn't be more symbolic. Things change, They end. Then it's time to move on to something new--ready or not!

So I've moved from student and hopeful writer to Masters' degree holder and published author. One dream down, one more nervously standing on the brink.

But in the meantime...Tomorrow is the big day! If you are considering buying and reading "Life in Continuous Present," I hope you'll also consider doing it tomorrow.

I look forward to hearing what you think!

(And to those amazing and brilliant people in the photo? I love you all!)

Marketing 101

This is so not my thing.

In my previous life (before academia took it over) I ran a business entirely dependent on word-of-mouth to keep it going. The only form of advertising I ever did was to work on a house for a local "Street of Dreams" project at the start of my career and get business cards printed to leave on-site.

Word-of-mouth worked pretty well for me for twenty years!

Although I’d love to just stand on a street corner and shout to the world, “Read my book! I really want you to,” (while raining business cards from the nearest tall building) that is just not me. I’ve done readings, and have another planned at a graduate conference in Portland in just a bit over two weeks. I can talk about the book itself until my audience (of one) is screaming—inside their head—for me to stop. But get out there in public and call for attention to it? It just makes me cringe. (After all, what will I do if someone hates it?)

But if I want people to read my book—and I do—marketing is apparently a “must do” on my part. I have to get my book’s name and face out there where someone (not related to or currently friended by me) can see it. I have to create a “brand.” (Can I tell you now how much I hate that term?)

So…last night I created an author’s page on Amazon.

It was kind of fun, I have to admit. Writing a bio—in third person (how pretentious is that?), posting photographs of myself and my trip to Iowa last summer, and linking the page to my blog and Twitter feed.

(My Twitter feed is a bit pathetic. Clearly I’m going to have to do something about that.)

But if you’re curious, take a look at my Amazon page and let me know what you think. If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears—really!

It's almost here!

After spending the past year-and-a-half working on my novel, Life in Continuous Present, I can hardly believe I’ve reached the point of publication—but it’s nearly here! Although every author wants a publisher to come knocking, begging them to accept a fat cash advance and promising huge sales with publication, I’ve come to see publishing my book as something that I don’t want to wait for. I wrote this book because I had a story I wanted to tell, and I want my book to remain the story I told, not to watch it become something else because an editor thinks it should. So I decided to self-publish using the tool I purchase probably at least 50% of my own reading materials through—Amazon’s Kindle and Kindle Direct Publishing. But because I also love the feel of a book in my hands, I’ll be printing it in paperback as well, with another Amazon company—CreateSpace.

I’m excited about the whole process and impatient to hold the long-awaited product in my hands.

I spent this last weekend going through the manuscript with a fine-toothed comb. I formatted and reformatted—editing and formatting again. I’m now checking proof copies online (and in just a few days, in print). This is getting real!

If all continues to go well, I’ll have both Kindle and print copies available for purchase in just a few weeks.

So now I’ve reached the point where I want to ask you for a favor…

Many of you have asked me when the book would be published—hopefully because you can’t wait to read it. Well, you’re about to get the chance!

I’d like to ask as many of you as might be interested in reading it to purchase it between 12:01 am - 11:59 pm on Friday, June 12. This is all to enable my book to move up on the sales list—hopefully to “Amazon Bestseller status” (which apparently can take less than 50 copies in 24 hours to achieve)—which will also make it more "findable" for those who aren’t actually looking for it.

If you’ve already pre-ordered it, thank you from the bottom of my heart! If you haven’t yet—but want to—would you wait until release day to order it? Thank you!!

 Also, if you have time—when you’ve had a chance to read it—could you please leave me a candid  review on Amazon? I would be eternally grateful to hear what you actually think of the book!

Thank you so much for all your support and enthusiasm for my project. I’m excited beyond words that someone actually wants to read it, and I’m eager—and slightly terrified—to hear your opinion of my baby!