LOST AMONGST THE STARS

The book is now ready for the on sale date of 28th June. If you want to grab your copy, the Kindle edition is available on pre-order here.

Here is the elevator pitch:

On an unrecognisable world far from their home, the crew of interstellar freighter, the Mary May, find themselves stranded and alone. 

Lost Amongst the Stars: A parrallel worlds sci-fi adventure is now available for pre-order ready for release on 28th June!

It was a quick turn around for delivering a proof of the paperback edition butt I didn’t like many aspects of the cover once printed. I had a rethink, then sent it off for printing and it was back, looking so much better, within a couple of days.

Here’s the original:

And the updated version:

Most of the changes were to help the cover not be so dark once it was printed, I also tweaked the image settings on the spacecraft to make it more defined and have a better contrast so that it pops on the cover. I also realised I’d forgotten to add the blue vortex on the original cover! I think you’ll agree that the title now has much more impact.

I’ve now ordered 20 author copies for my events, and people who have asked to buy a copy through the post. These should be with me early next week so I’ll have them on sale in Wallingford!

I still have to upload and check the Kindle edition, but I’ll get that done at the weekend. I have a handful of pre-orders so far after some very basic Facebook posts. This weekend I’ll get the book off to some ARC readers.

EVENTS

The fate of Cranleigh as an event for me was in the balance at the weekend. The footfall was terrible, however I sold steadily throughout the day and made an average profit. This was completely down to FATE’S AMBITION, and maybe the reason previous sales at this event have been poor. I will rebook this event next year, but I will favour other events on the same weekend which have a better track record for profit.

The next event is on 22nd June and I get to use my new addition to the table to show of the sci-fi series! I’m also getting some new printed material for the table display. Yes. I have a print addiction.

WORK IN PROGRESS

The second book in the sci-fi series is coming on well. I’ve just come through a slow patch in the first draft where I was struggling with the plotting for a little while but I managed to write through it and ended up with what I think now is an awesome series of scenes. The scenes I’m writing now were not part of the original plan, but like the best of my work, it just came to me and they’re giving me a really thrill to write.

I’m almost at 40,000 words of the first and rough draft so well past halfway. I’m mindful I don’t wont the MS to balloon. If I feel it getting out of control and if I don’t want to compress scenes, then I will make it into two books instead.

MARKETING AND PROMOTION

I’m still running the £10 a day Facebook advertising and I’d be breaking even as the sales of books and page reads are down, but with audiobooks I’m making a profit of £5 day. I reset the campaign yesterday as I couldn’t hold my nerve. I hope it’s the right decision.

I have a newsletter coming out today and that’s aimed at the pre-orders for LATS and letting the ARC readers know that the book is coming to them soon.

I’ve ordered the new bookmarks which feature the sci-fi series and FATE’S AMBITION. They’re due for delivery today and I’ll have them ready for my next event. Here’s a sneak peak.

Along with all of this I’m trying to get my accounts done and ruing that I didn’t stick to my promise to keep updating the figures and logging receipts as I went along!

That’s it for this bumper week. Comments and suggestions welcomed as always.