“Writing a book is like sliding down a rainbow! Marketing it is like trudging
through a field of chewed bubblegum on a hot, sticky day.”

--Betty Dravis


Author and good friend Betty Dravis could not have been more accurate with this
statement. I can still recall the elation I felt after my first novel (ECHOES
FROM THE INFANTRY) was released by St. Martin’s Press in 2005. The sense of
unbridled accomplishment buoyed me for days -- even weeks -- like nothing else
has ever done. And I remained in this suspended state of euphoria for a while -
until I realized that my publisher had only done what every publisher does for
most authors in the way of publicity and marketing -- the bare minimum.

Consequently, my naivete, idealism and and erroneous philosophy of “now I can
just sit back and wait for readers to purchase, read and comment” was rendered
painfully laughable. Then my euphoria abated, replaced by nausea,
disillusionment and pure unadulterated panic. Although my novel received some
very favorable professional reviews, nobody really knew it existed and thus, my
sales numbers suffered. This, in turn, led to a most difficult time getting a
serious look by publishers the second time around.

I was fortunate enough to procure a contract for my second novel, THE LEGEND OF
MICKEY TUSSLER, and was now armed with the knowledge that I would need to be my
own publicist in order to attain some level of success. I didn’t mind - I am no
stranger to some good old fashioned hard work. What I discovered, and what
remains true today as I am trying desperately to bask in the glow of the release
of my third novel, SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN, is that hard work is often not enough.
This sobering reality comes at the hands of hundreds of unreturned phone calls,
emails, and mass mailings. Hey - is anybody out there listening? There is
nothing more debilitating than being ignored and in some instances just simply
rejected when all you are asking for is a fair chance at having your work
presented to the public for their reading pleasure and ultimately their
approval/disapproval.

This process is so loathsome, so time exhaustive that it almost takes all the
joy out of the accomplishment. Writers should write, correct? If I wanted to be
a publicist I would have majored in marketing at some fancy business school and
devoted my life to this elusive art.

So while I want nothing more than to continue work on my next novel, the third
installment of my Mickey Tussler series, I have no time to do so -- I am too
tied up in trying to wean my newest endeavor off life support.

Anyone else have a similar experience???