Today’s blog post starts with the same opening paragraphs as my newsletter (apologies for the repetition if you are subscribed to both). For extra news, scroll to the bottom of this page for “My 2023 in Review”.
Every Old Year’s Eve, I look at the night sky. Then I look at it again after midnight on January 1. The stars always say far more about the past than the future, but it feels like bookmarking a chapter. There are also things in the present to celebrate. Things related to books…
If I mention promotions, some of you might stop reading. I am sure you’re done with the materialism of this season. But indie authors are seldom driven by profit margins, and they often come bearing gifts.
Bookfunnel Group Promotions
I recently joined my first two group promotions on BookFunnel. So today I am doing my part to spread the word about these. There are a variety of indie stories for you to enjoy (and some of them are FREE).
Newsletters and free e-books
https://books.bookfunnel.com/sci-fi-fantasy-free-mid-dec/avgpde4s1y
Click through to find free SFF stories on BookFunnel. My prequel novelette, The Tidelings of Dras Sayve is among them. Why not sign up for some newsletters and learn about the other authors here?
I aim to send under 6 emails per year, so you won’t be inundated. I try to keep my news fun and relevant. You will sometimes even get a few photos of life in my corner of Cape Town.
Breakin’ Spines Book Fair
PAPERBACKS AND HARDCOVERS OF ALL GENRES
https://books.bookfunnel.com/paperbackpushers-dec2/d4u2wp4lmx
I know Christmas is over, so you probably aren’t in the buying mood. But maybe, like me, you don’t buy all your gifts at this time? Peruse some paperbacks and hardcovers to add to your wish list for the new year.
Far Removed on Sale
Far Removed is currently at the lowest price it has ever been ($0.99). The discount will carry on through to January 1. I sign up for a few promotions with Draft 2 Digital, but there is no guarantee that retailers will include my title in their sales. When they do, my book is automatically discounted everywhere. I’m not advertising this widely. It’s a secret I am keeping for subscribers and regular blog readers – at least until the last days of the sale.
My 2023 in Review
This was a good year. Most importantly, the people close to me are healthy, I have a job, and I released my debut novel. Far Removed came into the world on 5 September with a smattering of excitement, provided by readers and writers who have been following my progress for months. My parents probably won’t ever read it (which is for the best), but they still celebrated with me. It is a weird book, I am upfront about that.
Some stories take a while to find us, but it was the right time for me. I am no ingenue and wrote my first novel in my mid-thirties. The reception I got for Far Removed has given me the gusto needed to tackle part 2 of this duology. I am currently on 45k words. 2024 won’t see the release of my sophomore novel, but there will be an illustrated edition of my prequel novelette coming out around March.
The outline for the complete duology has been around for a few years so writing the second book gives me a sense of déjà vu. I have played these scenes in my head so many times. Book 2 is going quicker than Far Removed, possibly because I have clocked up more writing hours and I know where I am headed. It also has a higher chapter count so it’s definitely going to be a thicker novel.
I slowed down to celebrate Christmas with family on the 25th. I was raised attending Anglican and Congregational churches, where I found an enduring sense of community and a faith that I still hold onto. Thank you for joining me on my Journey to Publication series. May you have a blessed new year, and a solid ground to stand on in troubled times.
C B Lansdell 