Freedom From The Mundane

Image: Kiwi-Wing

My royalty statement for sales of STELLA came in for the last quarter yesterday—nothing—zilch—not a single sale! In the entirety of my writing career this is most definitely a first.
I’m sure it’s not a bad book, though personally I don’t think it’s my best, but is it that bad that sales plummeted to zero [...]

March 31st, 2010 | Tags: Books, Leith, marketing, promotion, rain, royalties, severe weather, sleet, snow, Stella, Weather, Writing | Category: Animals, Books, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, Publishing and Marketing, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (1)

Image: Nattu

It was around 11am yesterday when the feeling of being on holiday really kicked in. It was Monday morning and I was able to get up when I wanted and ease into the day; no stresses of getting to work and getting into gear for the day ahead.
I took everything just as slow as [...]

March 30th, 2010 | Tags: Atlantic 252, Baccara Burning, blog comments, Central Station, chapbook, Fiction, Holiday, I became a writer because, marketing, Passion Radio, Poetry, press release, promotion, rain, Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.2, snow, Submissions, Weather, Writing | Category: Art, Fiction, Music, Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (2)

Image: Umberto Salvagnin

One of my things I decided to pay more attention to this year was keeping up the level of submissions I have out and ensuring they get turned around after a rejection as quickly as possible. It doesn’t always happen, but generally speaking I’ve kept to the discipline, also managing to include more [...]

September 24th, 2009 | Tags: Acceptance, advert, Coffee, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Family, GDR's, Hairspray, London, lunch, marketing, musical, promotion, Publishing and Marketing, rejection, roast chicken, Sheffield, Submissions, Theatre, train, Video, Waverly Station, Writing, YouTube | Category: Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Family, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, Internet, Publishing and Marketing, Theatre, Travel, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a comment

Image: popsci.com

Many thanks to Diane Parkin for having me over at her blog yesterday. If you missed it, head on over for what was an in-depth look at the development of STELLA.
Today I am feeling rather polarised. On one hand I am excited about my impending trip to Blackpool with my best mate, a trip [...]

June 24th, 2009 | Tags: blog tour, Blogging, bookings, Books, death, Diane Parkin, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Family, gardening, hot, Interview, marketing, promotion, Rabbits, Reading, Weather, Writing | Category: Animals, Books, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Family, Interviews, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (2)

Image: FMD

Check me out today over at the blog of freelance writer, photo journalist, and long-time cyber buddy, Diane Parkin!!! I’ll be answering questions all day after what was a very different and interesting interview to do, so please check it out.
I seemed to be running late by at least 90 minutes to the rest [...]

June 23rd, 2009 | Tags: Amazon, author events, author page, blog tour, Blogging, Books, Cate Masters, competition, Day Job, Diane Parkin, e-book, Edinburgh Book Festival, Edinburgh Zoo, free stuf, Interview, marketing, penguins, promotion, Reading, sales, Stella, ticket sales, tickets, web cam | Category: Animals, Books, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Internet, Interviews, Publishing and Marketing, Reading, Writing Process | Comments (2)

Image: whatsonsouthwest.co.uk

There’s still time to win a free copy of STELLA over at Cate Masters’ blog. You have until tomorrow to head over to http://catemasters.blogspot.com and leave a comment.
Things were somewhat more relaxed in the office yesterday. I’m still spinning plates but made good progress with some work. I took a slightly extended lunch (for [...]

June 20th, 2009 | Tags: 2-Tone, alcohol, Bevvy, Blogging, competition, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Freelance, gigs, Hamilton's Bar, House, live music, marketing, News of the World, party, Picture, promotion, Publishing and Marketing, ska, skanking, Stella, Stockbridge, The Beat, Writing | Category: Books, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Freelance, Interviews, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (1)

Image: Unknown

I’m a guest of the rather wonderful Cate Master’s today. This is a special interview with lots of new information and a giveaway, so go check her blog out at: http://catemasters.blogspot.com.
We have new neighbours. They’ve moved into the adjoining house and have made their presence felt. As a result, I’m not their biggest fan.
Thankfully [...]

June 18th, 2009 | Tags: anti-social, blog tour, Blogging, book promotion, bookmarks, Books, Cate Masters, Day Job, dinner, drinks, friends, marketing, neighbours from hell, Pakistani, promotion, Stella | Category: Books, Day Job, Editorial Comment, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (2)

Image: edinburghblog.co.uk

I hung out my washing last night because it was nice and warm, but windy. When I woke up this morning it had been raining for what could only have been several hours. My shirts and shorts were still hanging on the line when I left for work, drookit and pathetic looking.
I kicked yesterday [...]

June 17th, 2009 | Tags: Book Festival, Day Job, Edinburgh Book Festival, Fiction, marketing, promotion, rain, Weather, Writing | Category: Books, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (2)

Image: laffy4k

Long day yesterday.
The alarm on my new phone isn’t shrill enough to yank me out of my sleep, and so invariably I find myself flopping back and lying for longer as I wait for another, stronger spur to get out of bed. Yesterday morning it was the sound of my wife’s alarm clock, indicating [...]

June 10th, 2009 | Tags: alarm clock, blog tour, Blogging, Books, Day Job, death, Freelance, friends, funeral, GNHosting, Internet, living, marketing, Obituary, promotion, Reading, Website, world tour, Writing | Category: Books, Day Job, Fiction, Freelance, Internet, Interviews, Publishing and Marketing, Reading, Writing | Comments (1)

Image: ChelseaMclean.com

I spent most of yesterday trying to lift myself out of a lag. My back was sore, my eyes tired, and I just felt like lying down and never looking at another computer screen ever again. But, STELLA won’t sell itself so it’s on with the show and on with the promotion wagon!
The weather [...]

June 9th, 2009 | Tags: Appolo Con, biography, blog tour, Books, e-books, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, funeral, Interview, marketing, Michelle Miles, Music, promotion, Publishing and Marketing, Rubina Ali, Sage Cohen, Slumdog Millionaire, Stella, The Specials, tired, Weather, websites | Category: Books, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Editorial Comment, Fiction, Interviews, Music, Publishing and Marketing, Reading, Writing Process | Comments (2)

Image: Eternal Press

I’ll be appearing over at Sage Cohen’s, Writing the Life Poetic blog as part of my STELLA blog tour later today. Tune in for some fun and a fantastic giveaway!
Boy, did I judge yesterday’s book launch wrong! There was me thinking an online launch party would be a relaxing day answering a few [...]

June 8th, 2009 | Tags: book launch, Books, cometitions, e-books, feedback, marketing PR, promotion, readers group, Twitter | Category: Books, Fiction, Publishing and Marketing, Reading | Comments (1)

Image: Eternal Press

OFFICIAL NOTICE: STELLA is now an officially released book!!
Wayhey! It’s been a few years in the coming but at last, finally, I have another major fiction publication to add to my literary C.V. Here’s hoping STELLA sells well and leads me onto bigger and better things. When I think how this book [...]

June 7th, 2009 | Tags: 5k run, book, book launch, book now available, buy Stella, Cancer Research, CDs, death, e-book, Eternal Press, friends, funeral, Glasgow Green, launch party, marketing, Music, new ideas, promotion, published, Stella | Category: Books, Music, Publishing and Marketing, Reading, Writing Process | Comments (1)

Image: Gordana Adamovic-Mladenovic

I had a great time over at Lori Widmer’s blog, Words on the Page, yesterday. Lori hosted the first stop of my STELLA Blog Tour, and it was a whole lot of fun! Why not pop back and have a read if you missed it?
One downside to immersing myself in the promotion cycle [...]

June 6th, 2009 | Tags: beer, blog tour, Books, Clark's Bar, Day Job, death, e-book, family and friends, Fiction, Lori Widmer, marketing, promotion, Publishing and Marketing, Words on the Page, Writing | Category: Books, Day Job, Editorial Comment, Family, Fiction, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, Publishing and Marketing, Writing Process | Comments (1)