Somehow it’s been almost six months since I last posted, so I decided to do a big review of everything that’s been going on.

Writing

I’ve been working on the third and fourth books in the Parrallel Worlds sci-fi series that started with LOST AMONGST THE STARS. The books are interlinked so that’s why I’m working on them together. With them both well into their latter stage drafts we’re looking at them both being the same word count as the first two books, around 60,000 to 65,000 words. Once they’re edited I’ll release them within a few weeks of each other and I think we’ll be looking at around March before they come out. That would mean it was 12 months since my last release (but this will be two books).

It’s likely that I’ll either write a short story in the same series, as a reader magnet, or I might revisit STOPPING POWER season 2. Then again I might just jump into the fifth in the sci-fi series if inspiration hits.

EVENTS

A whole season of events have almost passed by since my last post so there’s lots to go over. I’ve had some really great events, but on the flip side I’ve also had some poor events too. Overall, compared to this point in 2024 event profit is down 15% this year. This is a common feeling amongst the other stall holders and the consensus is that it’s a general feeling about the state of the economy here in the UK.

All of my events have been with the same company apart from a comic-con as I thought I’d try them again as I might get a better opportunity with my sci-fi book. I was wrong.

The strongest seller continues to be FATE’S AMBITION as there is such an appetite for crime thrillers, however the others books have continued to sell.

I’ve not given up on the comic-con idea and so at the end of November I’m attending another, this time in Reading and it’s with an alternative provide which is considerably cheaper to attend as an exhibitor than the previous company.

I’ve already had two events this month and I have another five before we head into the Christmas month! It’s crazy and I’m already looking forward to the time when I can have a lay-in in December!

I’ve rejigged my table layout so that it flows better, and I’m loving the setup with both banners.

MARKETING

I’ve done absolutely no paid marketing and my online sales figures reflect just this. I’m getting a small amount of e-book and audio sales but due to the titles being bought I believe these are all due to my event follow on sales.

PRODUCTION

The only major work going on here is the recording of the James Fisher audiobooks. I decided to do a royalty share plus model with a narrator for all three books just to get them out there. Paid marketing only seems to have the faintest chance of working when the audiobooks are included in the offering. I hope it still works when I only get half the royalties per book.

Production is underway and I have approved the first 15 minutes for the first book, but there’s no deadline, other than the sooner the better.

FUTURE PLANS

I’m beginning to think more seriously about what the future looks like for my author career and that includes going all in on taking this full time, or at least making a major career change which will give me more time for writing, marketing and events. It’s not going to happen in the short term, but it’s definitely on the far horizon. I hope my boss doesn’t read this :).

To that end, and after being asked if I can give a talk about writing and publishing for an event next summer, I’ve written a presentation based around YOUR BOOK WON’T SELL ITSELF. This will be massively outside my comfort zone but I’m all about seizing opportunities. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked if I do talks, so it’s something that might help me with additional income through appearance fees and book sales. I will also be looking at whether there is an appetite for doing development editing for other authors as a paid service.

I think that’s about everything that’s gone on and I hope to do another review before the end of the year.