January 28th, 2023
So, Harvey, my dear husband, just informed me that I have not done an update on my website since Dec 2020. That is over two years ago and that is terrible and only indicates my lazy attitude to my author persona.
I do have some good news to share. I have been very slack at promoting my book through covid and beyond but finally got myself motivated for the Christmas markets. I went to two markets in Lacombe, one in Rocky Mountain House and one in Innisfail. Altogether, I sold 65 books. This has invigorated me to get off my toush!
I always include my card in my book and tell my buyers that I really like to hear from them re their reaction to my book. Of course, not everyone responds. But a lovely lady named Corry very recently posted a much welcomed review of my book on my website. I am certain that readers have no idea of the impact their reviews have on authors. I am always so delighted to hear how people feel about my work. If they have enjoyed my book enough to take the time and effort to express their feelings, the satisfaction I get from that is incredibly uplifting…maybe even enough to get me writing again. I have certainly had a dry spell and positive feedback like this is very powerful. Thank you, Corry!
So, Harvey, my dear husband, just informed me that I have not done an update on my website since Dec 2020. That is over two years ago and that is terrible and only indicates my lazy attitude to my author persona.
I do have some good news to share. I have been very slack at promoting my book through covid and beyond but finally got myself motivated for the Christmas markets. I went to two markets in Lacombe, one in Rocky Mountain House and one in Innisfail. Altogether, I sold 65 books. This has invigorated me to get off my toush!
I always include my card in my book and tell my buyers that I really like to hear from them re their reaction to my book. Of course, not everyone responds. But a lovely lady named Corry very recently posted a much welcomed review of my book on my website. I am certain that readers have no idea of the impact their reviews have on authors. I am always so delighted to hear how people feel about my work. If they have enjoyed my book enough to take the time and effort to express their feelings, the satisfaction I get from that is incredibly uplifting…maybe even enough to get me writing again. I have certainly had a dry spell and positive feedback like this is very powerful. Thank you, Corry!
December 2/20
Wow, the summer flew by and it's already December. Amazingly, at least for me, in this time of Covid lockdowns and stay at home orders, time is still screeching by. Since my last update, many more of my readers have posted wonderful reviews on my website. Again, I thank you for taking the time from your busy day to do this.
Christmas will be very different for all of us this year. We were planning to travel to the beautiful Peace Country to visit our precious daughter and her family. But this is looking less and less likely as each day passes. I'm starting to prepare myself psychologically for a Christmas at home with just my dear husband. I will cook a small turkey and at least some of the traditional trimmings, we will eat by candlelight and to Christmas music by Potluck in the Basement Singers. Hopefully, we will have a couple of zoom visits with our family (Zoom may be overwhelmed on Christmas Day). After supper, Harvey will play his guitar and I will dance! (Yes, by myself!)
Wow, the summer flew by and it's already December. Amazingly, at least for me, in this time of Covid lockdowns and stay at home orders, time is still screeching by. Since my last update, many more of my readers have posted wonderful reviews on my website. Again, I thank you for taking the time from your busy day to do this.
Christmas will be very different for all of us this year. We were planning to travel to the beautiful Peace Country to visit our precious daughter and her family. But this is looking less and less likely as each day passes. I'm starting to prepare myself psychologically for a Christmas at home with just my dear husband. I will cook a small turkey and at least some of the traditional trimmings, we will eat by candlelight and to Christmas music by Potluck in the Basement Singers. Hopefully, we will have a couple of zoom visits with our family (Zoom may be overwhelmed on Christmas Day). After supper, Harvey will play his guitar and I will dance! (Yes, by myself!)
Sept 15, 2020
Wow, half way through September already. See what I mean, time really is moving at ever increasing rates. That happens as we get older! At the ripe age of 73, my time is screeching by. I have started writing the sequel to A Critical Human Error. Many of my incredible readers have been asking for this and they are definitely spurring me on. As you know, my dear Sam's biological mother has left her with quite a legacy that will surely impact her life in crazy undetermined ways.
As with all sequels, I am painfully aware that to be successful, they have to be as good as or better than the first book. I have little knowledge yet as to where this is going but it's starting to keep me up at night. My goal is completion in one year! I am a seamstress of sorts too and making masks for my family has been keeping me a bit busy lately.
My Writers' Group has been meeting outdoors for the last 3 meetings. Now our amazing leader has found a perfect indoor spot for us to meet while self-distancing. I am so grateful for this group. I get much more from it than I give - encouragement, support, camaraderie. And we've moved our meeting time from 7 pm to 2 pm. I love this change as I so dislike going out at night in the winter. Our Central Alberta winters can be very cold. Add a little wind and we quickly have a wind chill of minus 25 to minus 40. Such is life on the Canadian Prairies...
Wow, half way through September already. See what I mean, time really is moving at ever increasing rates. That happens as we get older! At the ripe age of 73, my time is screeching by. I have started writing the sequel to A Critical Human Error. Many of my incredible readers have been asking for this and they are definitely spurring me on. As you know, my dear Sam's biological mother has left her with quite a legacy that will surely impact her life in crazy undetermined ways.
As with all sequels, I am painfully aware that to be successful, they have to be as good as or better than the first book. I have little knowledge yet as to where this is going but it's starting to keep me up at night. My goal is completion in one year! I am a seamstress of sorts too and making masks for my family has been keeping me a bit busy lately.
My Writers' Group has been meeting outdoors for the last 3 meetings. Now our amazing leader has found a perfect indoor spot for us to meet while self-distancing. I am so grateful for this group. I get much more from it than I give - encouragement, support, camaraderie. And we've moved our meeting time from 7 pm to 2 pm. I love this change as I so dislike going out at night in the winter. Our Central Alberta winters can be very cold. Add a little wind and we quickly have a wind chill of minus 25 to minus 40. Such is life on the Canadian Prairies...
July 22, 2020
Hello again, my readers. I told Harvey (my husband) last night that I think there must be tiny little birds in all of our clocks that our working fast and furious to move the hands on the clocks faster and faster. This morning I'm thinking maybe it's climate change that is speeding up time as well as increasing temperatures. Of course, I know none of this is true but...
Did you know that over 1.6 million books are self-published in the US every year. This adds up to over 3600 self-published books rolling off the press every day. That is how big the competition for readers is. I just checked and I see that I now have 24 reviews posted on this website. And my sales are holding steady. My readers are amazing! Thank you again.
Harvey and I are really stepping out on Monday. We are going camping with two other couples for three days at a campsite only one hour away. We plan to take our own food and we will not be sharing. This spot is not very busy so it will be easy to do self-distancing. But it sure is going to feel strange. In the past when we went camping with others, we shared everything...except husbands. LOL. Of all the things I have missed lately, I miss the hugging most of all!
Hello again, my readers. I told Harvey (my husband) last night that I think there must be tiny little birds in all of our clocks that our working fast and furious to move the hands on the clocks faster and faster. This morning I'm thinking maybe it's climate change that is speeding up time as well as increasing temperatures. Of course, I know none of this is true but...
Did you know that over 1.6 million books are self-published in the US every year. This adds up to over 3600 self-published books rolling off the press every day. That is how big the competition for readers is. I just checked and I see that I now have 24 reviews posted on this website. And my sales are holding steady. My readers are amazing! Thank you again.
Harvey and I are really stepping out on Monday. We are going camping with two other couples for three days at a campsite only one hour away. We plan to take our own food and we will not be sharing. This spot is not very busy so it will be easy to do self-distancing. But it sure is going to feel strange. In the past when we went camping with others, we shared everything...except husbands. LOL. Of all the things I have missed lately, I miss the hugging most of all!
May 24/20
These are strange times to be bringing a new book to the marketplace. On March 11, the WHO declared a pandemic. On March 26, 2 weeks later, my first novel rolled off the press. So many of the normal routes that authors use to promote their books were unavailable. The libraries and book stores were all closed. All I had and still have at my disposal is our incredible 21st century technological communication systems to make connections with people.
I have unabashedly contacted all of my family, friends and acquaintances through many different lists (high school reunions list, Nursing classmates, Agriculture classmates of my husband, the Glasier list of friends and family for Christmas letters, my Community Care list of people I worked with, my book clubs, my phone address book, my Nextdoor App, my WhatsApp and Facebook).
I am so very appreciative of the response I have had. I have managed to sell books into the 5 provinces of Alberta, BC, SK, On, and NS, the 2 states of Washington and Minnesota, Britain and Australia. Many of these people have purchased a book and spread the word to their friends who have purchased books.
And I cannot say enough about the people who have so kindly taken the time to post reviews for me on my website, on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Nobel, Apple Books, and Good Reads.
Without you, my readers and reviewers, my book would be nothing! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
These are strange times to be bringing a new book to the marketplace. On March 11, the WHO declared a pandemic. On March 26, 2 weeks later, my first novel rolled off the press. So many of the normal routes that authors use to promote their books were unavailable. The libraries and book stores were all closed. All I had and still have at my disposal is our incredible 21st century technological communication systems to make connections with people.
I have unabashedly contacted all of my family, friends and acquaintances through many different lists (high school reunions list, Nursing classmates, Agriculture classmates of my husband, the Glasier list of friends and family for Christmas letters, my Community Care list of people I worked with, my book clubs, my phone address book, my Nextdoor App, my WhatsApp and Facebook).
I am so very appreciative of the response I have had. I have managed to sell books into the 5 provinces of Alberta, BC, SK, On, and NS, the 2 states of Washington and Minnesota, Britain and Australia. Many of these people have purchased a book and spread the word to their friends who have purchased books.
And I cannot say enough about the people who have so kindly taken the time to post reviews for me on my website, on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Nobel, Apple Books, and Good Reads.
Without you, my readers and reviewers, my book would be nothing! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
