The promotional and after-publishing part has, for a while, taken over the writing part.  That’s too bad, but somebody’s got to do it.  Here are my efforts to date:

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Consenting Adults Only

 

I am midway in the Amazon Scout campaign for Consenting Adults Only. 

 https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2PN5FY0XBJRS

 

I have sent many messages via email, Twitter, Facebook and Linked-in regarding the Amazon Scout campaign.  I get short bursts in page views after each effort, then the numbers drop again.  Of course it may be that readers just don’t connect with the book, but there’s no way to know if it’s a problem with the novel’s first 3 chapters (all that is on Scout) or a problem with ineffective campaigning.  In any case, I plan to self-publish CAO when the Scout campaign ends in early September.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The Wall:  Chronicle of a Scuba Trial

 

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Chronicle-Scuba-Trial-ebook/dp/B013RHYSNW/lakesidepress

Smashwords link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/568140

This novel is published, and feedback so far has been positive.  A couple of readers noted some inevitable typos, and I learned how to fix them myself, and upload a corrected manuscript to both Kindle and Smashwords.

 

Smashwords

1.  I downloaded Sigil, which lets you correct an Epub file.   https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/Sigil.  When you download it the following symbol appears on your desktop:

2.  I uploaded the book’s Epub file (previously created for me by a professional e-book converter) into Sigil.

3.  I made all the necessary corrections, which was easy to do.

4.  I saved the file to my desktop, then returned to Smashwords and uploaded the corrected Epub file. In minutes, the new version was published!

 

Kindle was a bit more difficult, in part because their website offers two different sets of instructions.  One, called “Modifying converted content” is incorrect; its line by line instructions don’t correlate with anything you see on the screen.  The other set, called “Changing converted content” made sense and worked.  

“Changing converted content”

https://kdp.amazon.com/help?ref=kdp_hp_gw_en_pop_conv&topicId=A22PYSU3IVQYUQ&

 Those line by line instructions are reprinted below.

Changing Your Converted Text

You may want to make corrections to your book after publishing your book. Follow these steps to transfer your updates to your converted, published book:

1. Go to your Bookshelf and click on the ellipsis button ("...") under the Book Actions menu next to the book you're updating.
2. Select "Edit Details."
3. Scroll down to the “Upload Your Book File” section and click the “Browse” button.
4. Browse to the file you wish to upload (the latest version of your book) and click “Open”.
5. Your file automatically uploads into your bookshelf and the process converting your book to Kindle begins.
6. If successful, you see this message “Upload and conversion successful!”
7. Click “Save and Continue” taking you to the "Rights & Pricing" page.
8. Re-confirm your Content Rights and then click “Save and Publish.”
That's it -- the new file will overwrite the old file within 24-48 hours.

 

I uploaded the same corrected Epub file that I used for Smashwords.  The new file was accepted and re-published within a few hours. 

Note that, unless you are really knowledgeable about converting Word into Epub (which I used for both Smashwords and Kindle) you still have to pay for professional conversion.  However, after that, it is relatively simple to self-correct typos or mistakes and upload a new file.

 

Regarding The Wall, I also sent out twitter messages and posted information on Facebook and Linkedin.  Word about the book also got out in the retirement community where I attend writers’ workshops, and a reporter for the local newspaper interviewed me today about the book and my writing in general, for an upcoming feature story. 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Out of Time:  An alternative outcome to the Civil War.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Out-Time-Alternative-Outcome-Civil-ebook/dp/B00K34RINA/lakesidepress
 
I submitted the list of corrections for the book to CreateSpace (for the print edition); the cost was $79.  As soon as I approve them, any further print-on-demand copies will be the updated version.  My professional ebook converter is going to make these changes (I submitted them to her before I learned how to do it myself). 
 
Otherwise, nothing new on this book.  I have not mounted any campaign for publicity, except for sending free copies to several Civil War magazines.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

 

Nothing new on Gravity is Always With You...Unless You're an Astronaut.  I have not yet decided on an illustrator.  My preparation for this book has temporarily stalled while I have worked on the other three books.  (See August 12, 2015 blog post for more info.)

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -