Two years ago, I was living in a dark apartment and I was in a miserable place all around. I had no idea how I was going to change my situation, but the one thing that dark place couldn’t take away from me was my imagination. In the two years I was stuck there, I wrote three and a half novels, as well as a musical “Room to Grow” with my friend Laura Hall (best known for her work on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”).
I have now self-published my first novel “Searching for My Wand” and couldn’t be more pleased. “Searching…” tells the story of Glenda, a woman struggling to come to terms with the direction her life has taken. She was named (incorrectly) after Glinda the Good Witch and has spent most of her life trying to live up to a fictional character. Needless to say, it hasn’t been easy. It’s a look into a life that has its share of ups and downs, told through journal entries that leave you wanting to know what is going to happen next. It is also highlighted by the sometimes comical drawings she doodles.
I chose self-publishing because not only did I not have the patience to wait a year or more for traditional publication, but also because I liked the idea of controlling everything from the cover to the content. It has been thrilling to see this all come together, but there is still one more piece to the puzzle, and that is the marketing.
I enjoyed putting together the book trailer. I was able to use some of the pictures from the book, add some copy, and underscore it with music Laura Hall wrote and graciously allowed me to use. Tweeting, Facebooking, and doing guest posts have generated a few sales, and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Now I have been told that the success or failure of this book will depend on word of mouth. This is both good news and bad. Without a publicist, it is difficult to get the word out, and that is where I am at now. I am literally scratching my head, trying to come up with ways to spread the word.
Like Glenda in “Searching for My Wand”, I am not a quitter, and I am determined to see that this book, as well as my next book and every book, thereafter finds its audience. I know I can do this. I’m just not sure how. I’ll figure it out, though. In the meantime, check out the trailer and buy the Book! You won’t be sorry, I promise. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMi8eiatB8s&list=FLivtLXiho_nvceGnFkXlh2Q&feature=mh_lol
