Indie Life: Thanksgiving

Today, I'm giving thanks for all the encouragement I've found as in Indie author on the web and in the brick and mortar world.

So many awesome blog buddies have encouraged me in my publishing pursuits, and I am thankful for each and all of you!

Today, Natalie Aguirre is doing a big Indie Giveaway at Literary Rambles as a way of supporting her Indie blog friends. I'm super excited to give away an e-copy of Champion in the Darkness there. Natalie is a great blog buddy!

In the brick and mortar world, I've found encouragement at Indie bookstores. It makes sense that Indie bookstore owners and Indie authors work together. I am thankful for those bookstore owners who have supported my writing endeavors.

I want to encourage every Indie author I know to go out and meet an Indie bookstore owner - they may not have the huge reach of the big 'zon, but they can give tangible support to Indie authors.

Check out my book stores page. Thanks to these stores, I have had the "wow, my book is on bookstore shelf!" moments. I admit I haven't experienced a ton of sales in these places, but my book is getting some shelf space, and some small recognition in my community because of them.

What are you giving thanks for today? Where have you found encouragement for your writing dreams? And have you approached an Indie bookstore owner with your book?

Indie Life: Success?

What does Success mean for an indie author?

 

I'm a little embarrassed to admit where my mind goes first on this one, but here it is:

The first word that jumps to mind is: sales.

Then: recognition.

Then: growth.

I think I might have this backwards a bit, but I admit that is where my brain goes when I first think of that question.

There are some amazing, extremely successfully indie authors who have all three of those words easily applied to them.

Am I one of them?

Well, by strict definition . . . no.

Sales: my books are selling slowly, one by one, not hundred by hundred or thousand by thousand.

Recognition: um, here with my blog buddies - yes!!! (Thanks!) In my smallish community of homeschool and church friends and a few bookstore owners -yes! Plus, I did garner one somewhat local newspaper article - yes! And I've had some sweet reviews!
Recognition beyond people I know: Um, maybe one or two people out there who don't know me via blog or personal life or meeting at the bookstore with my books in hand.

Growth: (in writing and readership) Slow growth, very slow growth, but hopeful growth.

So, what does success mean for this Indie author?

I hope someday to hit higher sales and garner a little recognition beyond my circle of friends.

However, until then, success is about growth in writing, and a growth in readership. 

Plus, when I have one of my "I'm not very successful" bummed out feelings, I remind myself of something an excellent writing teacher told me,

"Don't expect success as a writer until you have 5-6 books published and on the shelves. Until then, don't quit your day job, and even after then, don't quit it right away." (And she was talking about traditional publishing many years ago, before the indie boom)

So. Two down, four more to go. And the day jobs are un-quittable, so I'm safe there.

Also, there's another great article about self-publishing here: Ron Vitale - and I found that post by reading C. Lee Mckenzie's post here.

How do you measure success?

And for the Wednesday Movie Quote via Alex J. Cavanaugh:

"Lipstick Taser!" (from Despicable Me 2)

Indie Life - Celebrating an Upcoming Release!

DRAGONFOLD AND OTHER ADVENTURES will be out July 3rd! I received the proof copy just last Friday, and I'm working through the last kinks . . . and I'm totally excited to see this story and poem collection in print.

The Blurb:

Azami has a gift with origami. Will she master it in time to save herself from bondage? Find out in "Dragonfold."

Joanne lost more than her honor in the war, she lost her will to live. When bandits attack her homestead, will she stand or fall in "Enough to Do?"

And just who is Captain Wrath under that itchy, false wig? Find out more in “The Identity of Captain Wrath.”

DRAGONFOLD AND OTHER ADVENTURES includes imaginative stories and poems, written between 2008 and 2013, by Tyrean Martinson. Some of these adventures have been previously published, and others are waiting to be discovered for the first time.

Previously published titles include: “Dragonfold”; “Enough to Do”; “The Identity of Captain Wrath”; and “Embers.” This book also contains a sample of Martinson’s novel, Champion in the Darkness.

I'm not going to have an official blog tour, or anything like that, but any opening day or opening week celebrations or shout-outs would be highly appreciated. Thanks! 

Anyone else have celebrations to share?