Devon Trevarrow Flaherty's Blog, page 79

Launch day.

Well, I can first off say I learned way more about the internet today than I ever wanted to know.

Other things that happened:

I showed up all over my own personal Facebook page as well as on Benevolent‘s, my author page, and Owl and Zebra Press’s, including with a cool tee shirt giveaway. I also showed up on my own blog at The Starving Artist, and had a giveaway there. Then there was GoodReads, where my giveaway ended and I hosted a Q&A. On Twitter, yet another tee giveaway. And as for the beginning of the blog tour, I showed up on Book Worm with an interview and the beginning of a giveaway.

What else did I do sitting here all day? Continued to approach bloggers about hosting me this summer and maybe reading my book. Sent books to The New York Review of Books and The American Library Association, as well as agonized over whether or not to pay Publisher’s Weekly and/or Kirkus for inclusion/reviews. Also sent books to the winner of the GoodReads giveaway and two interested reviewers. Bought promotions on Facebook, did some book-keeping, reorganized Benevolent computer files, located some copies of yesterday’s Herald-Sun, and hosted the Q&A that wasn’t. Pretty much the usual for a full work day, lately.

Five-year-old Eamon was a champ relaxing sick on the couch and watching cartoons while I orchestrated and carried out an internet takeover.

Internet takeover was only somewhat successful. I was hoping to see at least 20 paperback books sold today and 100 over the first week. While we are still counting for that second number, today’s sales total as of 8:30pm: 22.

Other indicators of success or failure? People who entered giveaways: 14 on The Starving Artist; 5 on Facebook; 5 on Twitter; over 500 on GoodReads. (So some dismal failure, some huge success.) People who asked questions on the GoodReads Q&A: 0. (Um, failure.) Hits on the blog(s), today: 132 as of 8:30p. (I’d say success.) People who have added Benevolent to their GoodReads “to read”: 273. (Success.)

Had a couple internet snafus, for sure. The Book Worm appearance was delayed due to a technical issue on their end, but that was resolved at 3pm. And then there were a few issues tracking my giveaways, as well. Oops. It’s my first time, for sure. That, and I have failed to track with the idiosyncrasies of new Facebook feeds and WordPress.org versus WordPress.com. Oi.

Then again, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many people actually shared my Facebook posts, pictures, links, and my website. At last count, I can guarantee 501 views on the Benevolent Facebook page and 60 likes, 15 comments, and 8 shares on my personal Facebook page, plus 76 likes on one of Kevin’s share, to begin with. So support is good.

The point was not to sell 1,ooo,ooo copies today (or even ever), but to get those Amazon sales numbers up. (We went from 1.4million in sales rankage this morning to 62,025, as of 8:30pm.) The long-term goal is to sell at least 1,000 copies (which would keep me above the embarrassment level) and to generate more and more interest, in jumps and starts. I have a number of blog appearances lined up into August, contests through 2014, and reviewer interest here and there. This isn’t the end, folks.

Plus, even though Debolina, the blogger at Book Worm, didn’t finish the book yet–Not sure she even has it. How long does it take to get media mail to India?–she had some very nice things to say about the cover, the idea, and the first chapter. So my first partial review, at least, makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

Example of tee. Final product will be based on winner’s size and color preference. Logo may vary, due to individual nature of product.

THE BOOK LAUNCH IS HERE!

First things first: Enter the Purple Monkey Record Shop tee shirt giveaway by SHARING THIS PAGE between midnight on March 17th and midnight on March 18th. (See rules under Policies tab if you have giveaway questions.) If you want to know more about Purple Monkey Record Shop, you’ll have to read chapter five of Benevolent.

Speaking of, this is the ideal time to order your copy from Amazon.

Next, you can enter a couple other Benevolent-themed tee shirt giveaways at Twitter and at the Facebook Fan Page. Sweet!

Then, you can jump into the events that will be taking place across the internet in celebration of the launch. Check out the calendar here. (Events on the 18th include a GoodReads Q&A and a guest blog on The Book Worm.)

Happy Launch Day!

Lately I have heard and re-heard some very old writerly advice. It is this: Read. In other words, if you want to be a good writer, you need to read, and read a lot.

Now, I have a little bit of a superstition of sorts about this. Actually, I guess it’s not really a superstition, just a logical concern. I feel like when I write I will channel what I am reading. The last thing I want is to be accused of subconscious plagiarism, or to be accused of trying to write like some great author and–no doubt–failing. I want to make sure that my voice is my own voice.

It’s a legitimate concern because, if you know me, I am impressionable, at least in the inconsequentials. (I am very stubborn about the consequentials, like morals and goals, etc.). Down to my voice; when I speak with someone with a particular accent, I absolutely can not help starting in on the y’alls or the bloodies or the head bobbles.

But I think that this is part of what would make me a good writer, correct? If I can subconsciously take all the great parts of great writing and filter it through my own experiences and my own voice, then that would be a book to read. It’s like how I am fairly good at interpreting fashion or determining cultural trends; I am very intuitive, at heart. So while I would never intentionally steal a line from another book, I just discovered–a little to my horror–that the line in Benevolent (“‘You two are so knotted up together it would be nearly impossible to extricate either one in one piece,’”) came from all the times Jay Kesler said something about he and his wife having been together so long they were like two trees whose branches were indecipherable one from another, which probably came from a seriously famous quote from Louis de Bernieres’ Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (the book; “Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two”).

Okay, so that’s not that bad. It could just be a similar idea expressed by three out of billions of people. But it felt too close for comfort. Even though I’ve never read Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

And despite my concerns (legitimate or illegitimate), I am going to take the challenge. I’m going to make it a lifetime goal to keep reading. Now, one of my biggest problems is finding a good book. You would think it would be easy, but I have the hardest time, especially when I have just read a good book and don’t want to risk bad literature. So, I have recently unearthed a giant list of “best” books that I compiled (from various sources) several years ago, updated it (all the way to 2012) and put it in a spreadsheet: and now I am going to read my way through it. Or at least for a good, long time. I will review the books right here on The Starving Artist (as it seems people really like reading book reviews).

As of right now, the list is over 800 books long, so I have sorted them randomly (thanks, computer) to determine my first five. They are a crazy bunch. The whole list includes general fiction, novels, some kids and YA, literary, philosophy, religion, historic, contemporary, and influential titles. Therefore, I am starting with Johannes Kepler’s The Harmony of the World (or Harmonies of the World). We go from there to Purpose-Driven Life (Warren), The Sound and the Fury (Faulkner), Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Newton), and Sybil (Disraeli). And I am going to really try my best to finish each one and see what other readers love about each book. (Unless it’s too technical. Then I reserve the right to observe and report, as opposed to go line by line.) I also anticipate that I may want to take little trails off of a particular author. I reserve that right as well. Julia Alvarez may warrant a re-read of Yo! or Edith Wharton to Ethan Frome, neither of which are on the giant list. Now, I can never say I don’t know what to read next.

Wish me happy reading, and here’s to following good advice!

You can get your copy from Amazon on March 18th, or you can buy one when you come to my book signing at The Regulator (in Durham NC) on April 8th (or you can just show up to give me support). Virtual launch will be on the 18th, too, and blog tour will start then. Please see Info=>Events tab for more info!

You can get your copy from Amazon on March 18th, or you can buy one when you come to my book signing at The Regulator (in Durham NC) on April 8th (or you can just show up to give me support). Virtual launch will be on the 18th, too, and blog tour will start then. Please see News=>Events tab for more info!

I was just a writer. All I ever wanted to be was a writer and all I ever planned on being was a writer. Even last spring, when I decided it was time to start focusing on the goal. Even last summer, when my aunt and I started Owl and Zebra Press to publish my first novel. (For the rest of this entry, assume “I” is my aunt and I.) I was just a self-employed writer becoming a self-published author. Right?

Wrong.

I have been walking through the self-/indy-pub steps since around August of 2012. I already had a book, but it needed a hefty re-write. Other than that, I had a couple of self-pub how-to books and a year-so-far full of rejections and failures and bummers. So I read those books, I plowed into the rewrite, and I started making to-do lists and penning in goals on the calendar.

It is now February of 2013, and let me tell you something. I wrote the book, I did my job confronting edits. But I have also published a book. I designed it. I photographed for it. I made the cover. I created several websites, a blog, fan pages, and other blog presence platforms. I edited. I keyed. I found the money to buy ISBNs. I got a PO Box and I do the mailing. I opened all the accounts we needed: email, printing, office supplies, ebook production… I do the accounting. I do the scheduling and field the calls, emails, etc. I am public affairs. I am marketing. I am sales. I am planning the launch and pounding the real and virtual streets. I even started dressing nicer. I started a publishing company.

I am a publisher.

I’m not saying I didn’t publish my own book, but after all that work, I am proud and ready to say my book was published by a publisher, too: me! I’m also not saying I published 100 books. One so far, hopefully two more in the next year. You have to start somewhere.

I started a business. Not a fake one. A real one. I will pay my taxes and everything. So I should get to say it: I am an author-slash-publisher-slash-entrepreneur.

I, author of Benevolent, the new novel, am looking for bloggers to “host” me. I am available for guest blogging, interviews, and/or giveaways. Please contact me if interested!

Another holiday, another list of holiday recommendations.

So, we’re going to start with the movies, ’cause apparently I have quite a few romantic comedies in my cherished DVD collection. In no particular order, and with no real weeding:

          Once (2006). One of my all-time faves, but sort of anti-romantic, as far as that goes. Can life conquer love? Who cares, as long as Glen Hansard is singing the soundtrack. (Absolute best scene: when Marketa walks the streets of Dublin singing to her Walkman.)
Sense and Sensibility  (1995). Another all-time fave. Probably my most-viewed movie of all time, as well. The acting, costumes, and timing are a great pairing for an already complex, compelling romantic story. And Ang Lee!
Romeo + Juliet (1996). Believe it or not, I saw this movie five times at the theater, in high school. It was one of those main-stream movies that really opens your eyes up to cinematic possibilities. We all know the story. This is the story on steroids.
Ruby Sparks (2012). A new one. We just saw this a handful of months ago, but I really enjoy quirky or off-beat romances that also deliver on the laughs and drama. This one is quirky, all right. I laughed out loud.
Eagle Vs Shark  (2007). Another of those anti-romantic comedies. Painfully awkward. But God bless ‘em.
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012). And another new one. Saw this in the same week as Ruby Sparks and that made for a real winner of a week. At times I thought I was bored… and then the ending happened. The ending is so worth it.
Princess Bride  (1987). Just thought I would throw an oldie in here, to give you some options. To be honest, I could never sit through it before, but when we recently watched it with the family, I found it pretty awesome.
Amelie (2001). More quirk. More anti-romance. And yet, a classic. Everyone falls in love with Amelie. If you like subtitles. And French movies.
Wayne’s World (1992). Sort of an oldie, too. Not strictly romantic, of course, but for you if you just wanted to find something to make you laugh this Valentine’s Day.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (2010). Kung fu meets comics meets nerdy-hipster teens. Equals Scott Pilgrim. And it’s all one big get-the-girl flick.

Stranger Than Fiction (2006). This movie is great. And I say that because it’s about a writer and about writing. And I say that because of the actors. And I say that because of everything. Like the dozen flours.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002). This is one of the few movies we have in our collection because anyone can watch them and everyone likes them. Romance. Soccer. England. Indian culture. Yay!
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). I would usually list this with martial arts movies, but this is also romantic in nature. Visually stunning.
Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (2008). If you are more the single type, perhaps this would be your speed on Valentines? One of my friends is way in to odd-duckling-girl coming-of-age movies. Wonder if she own this?
Garden State (2004). Another quirky comedy, with a little romantic. This movie always makes me smile. And great soundtrack, too.
My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding (2002). For more of the conventional romantic comedy crowd. Love that it is set in a slightly older crowd. It deserves to have been a run-away hit.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993). I love this movie! This movie would be perfect for Valentines Day! Everywhere! For everyone! And especially for Shakespeare buffs and fans of Emma Thompson or Kenneth Branaugh!
Moulin Rouge! (2001). If you want to pump up your Valentines day with musical numbers and Bohemian French grit, go no further. I often dislike Kidman’s acting, but in this, with Ewan McGregor, she more than makes up for it. I can’t even decide on my favorite number.
Monsoon Wedding (2001). For a little ethnic flair on your date night, go with Monsoon. There is a thought-provoking romance as well as so much more than romance.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999). Another Shakespearean boon. This movie is awesome without being in the least overdone. See it again for the first time.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). Called a dramedy, this is a whole lot about love. I truly enjoy a movie with multiple plots lines that weave together so seamlessly (like Magnolia or Love, Actually).
Now we’re getting into more of the clearly romantic comedies. First, let’s list the maybe-a-little-off-beat ones: Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009), (500) Days of Summer (2009), Penelope (2006), Ghost Town (2008), Yes Man (2008), and Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998).
Now we’ll list the straight-up romantic comedies; the ones I return to when I need to remember good, old-fashioned film-making at it’s most sentimental: Notting Hill (1999), My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997), While You Were Sleeping (1995), All About Steve (2009), Return to Me (2000), 50 First Dates (2004), and The Wedding Singer (1998).

Now for my much shorter list of books. Turns out I don’t read a ton of them. And maybe I don’t like those that I have? These are my scrape-together suggestions:

Emma (Jane Austen). One of my top books, on any list. So we can stick it here. Best of the genre, as far as I am concerned.
As for similar, classic romance: Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen),  Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), and Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell).
Les Miserables (Victor Hugo). I love this book, anyhow, but it’s the gut-wrenching romances that I especially love.
Sonnets from the Portuguese (Elizabeth Barrett Browning). I have long loved the poetry of Browning, so this is a no-brainer for Valentines.
A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Van Auken). I haven’t had the opportunity to revisit this book for many years, but it was simply a sweet read the first time. And all about love. Except for when it’s about literature or God.
Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel (Arthur Golden). One of the only modern books I could think of to recommend.
Romeo and Juliet, Sonnets, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare). For when the movie won’t do? Well, it’s just a totally different experience. But if you want your Shakespeare in small doses, the sonnets won’t fail, especially 116.
Anne of Green Gables , up through at least the third book (L. M. Montgomery). I know it gets old me mentioning it when it’s not even cool to do, but I just can’t top the romance between Gilbert and his Anne. Then you have more romance in Rilla of Ingleside .

Announcing an early e-publication! The book is available in Kindle edition at Amazon, and in other formats (like Nook) from Smashwords. Live now! $4.99. And if you are waiting for the paperback version (I am!), we are still on track for our March release; so just a few more weeks…

So I have been doing more thinking about how publishing a novel is like having a baby. So much so, that I have come up with yet another very apt connection between the two.

I don’t know how many of you have studied or even thought about the phenomenon (it probably has a name, but I’m not looking it up) where as a pregnant woman nears the end of her pregnancy she actually wants to go into labor. It’s really an amazing thing, when you stop to think about it. All along, a woman’s body does the craziest things to grow and nurture a baby. The whole time, she’s also hearing terrible stories about all the worst things that can happen in labor, going through literary and verbal boot-camp for the big day. As the due date approaches, many women are filled with (or at least nagged by) trepidation. How do they get through those last gut-wrenching weeks of anxiety and impending doom and uncertainty? When the joy of the outcome is no longer cutting it?

It’s called being as big as a house and as uncomfortable as a pig on roof top. Because women continue to get larger, un-wieldy, ridiculous…. they actually start to (again) count down the days until the baby comes! They long for an ending to their discomfort. And to some extent, they even forget just how terrified they were when they were still a svelte  +35 pounds. Desperation leads to motivation. Not un-heard of.

It’s what I call God’s way of getting you there.

Now this principle applies to plenty of other things, and the one at the top of my current list is novel publication. As I approached the end of my editorial process and the gears were moving for actual people to soon get an actual book in their actual hands, I panicked. More than once. I seriously considered pulling the whole thing and slinking into a dark hole where I could stroke the manuscript of my secret novel for a good long time. Like forever. Because actually letting the public look at the thing is terrifying. Not to mention, that when you self-publish, you push all the buttons. When I get the proof, I decide when to tell CreateSpace that I am ready for the print. I call all the shots; all 1000-or-so of them. That not only leaves me many, many hours to think about the whole affair, but it gives me absolute ability to back up, to u-turn, to pull the plug.

Of course, in birth there is no out.

But the point is, by the time you have spent all this time and effort and love and blood and guts on the whole thing, it’s pretty likely you will be desperate to finish it and move on.

Believe me; desperation is all that’s gotten me though some of the latter days.