PERSONAL UPDATE

I’m going to the pub tomorrow!! For this first time since I can’t remember I’m actually going to the pub and having some drinks with my best friends on Saturday. Admittedly we have to drink outside and there’s rain on the forecast and it’s only 3 hours during the afternoon, but still I’m very excited. Hopefully this is the start of when things become normal again.

I’ve also had my first jab and after a couple of days with some of the common side-effects, mild flu-like symptoms and a sore arm, I’m feeling back to myself again. This weekend is a long one with a bank holiday on Monday so it will be great to get a break from work and hopeful get some of my more enjoyable work done.

WORK IN PROGRESS

Beginning of the End Audiobook – The Findaway Voices portal is still showing as casting in progress. I’m beginning to wonder if there is a problem as I’m pretty sure I was originally told it should only take a week to provide me with auditions! Maybe the character profile I posted is a little too niche!

From the Dead – I’m around halfway through the current read-through and it’s going to need another once I’ve finished due to the amount of changes I’m making on what I’d thought was a pretty-near complete draft. When I have completed this read-through I will leave it for two weeks and start again with my fingers crossed that it’s the last major one.

Purple Rain Book One – The novel is proceeding well and at a reasonable speed. I’ve got a good draft of 50,000 words written so far out of what I anticipate to be a novel with a length of around 65,000. I guess this means it won’t be long until I have completed the first milestone and the major revision and refinement process can begin.

SALES & MARKETING

In The End Series – My current mix of advertising and marketing seems to be doing well, so well in fact that despite a poor start to the month where I was projecting to break even or even make a loss, I’m going to make the normal level of monthly profit.

Currently I am advertising on Facebook @ £20 per day, $7 on AMS US and around £3 on AMS UK. The AMS UK budget is higher but they don’t often spend up to the top value. I am also using the Facebook groups more and contacting readers who might be interested in my books directly with a very soft introduction. The response has been exceptional, however I know this is a high effort strategy that will only last until I run out of members to contact. These people are my target audience and you never know I might get some proper fans who will help with other word-of-mouth sales. Things are at least looking good so far.

In addition to new sales, I have achieved a small number of new email list subscribers via the new approach.

I’m also starting up my author interview series again. For the first few I will be working with apocalypse genre authors, revisiting and updating those I have previously done and then reaching out to more people. If you know anyone who wants to be interviewed, just let me know.

Carrie Harris Series – I currently have no paid promotion on this one. Capital Action is still free across all platforms including audio but I have still yet to find a place where I can effectively market. I’m still looking though.

EVENTS

I have an embryonic idea of putting on an indie author / publisher event (in the style of the craft and gift events I attend now) in 2022/2023. It’s just something in the back of my mind I’m mulling over but there is a lot to think of before I can see if it is feasible. I’ll say no more about this for now but it’s something I’m actively considering.

My next event is coming up the weekend of the 8th May in Guildford. Preparations are made and I just have to hope I have a fair wind with me on the day.

That’s it for me this week. The next update will be on the eve of Guildford.