Well, well, well. At least it wasn’t the books in reverse even though I loved those guys back in the day. But it did get a little nippy.
What a year it’s been, right?
Not sure if you know this but I receive far less email from any of you to count this newsletter as a social engagement. I did make a couple of friends (acquaintances) so this is mostly for you folks but also for any others who may be paying attention.
So, here it is, 2023 for Omar Daniels, Book Motives, and what went down for me as far as literature goes.
–January 2023: I published Subterfuge a novel I had completed in October 2022, but I had a while to go and a lot to learn about how to set up the advertising and sales of the work. Around the same time, I hired someone to recite the audio book, and gained more sales from that venture than the eBook and printed version combined. I also met a couple of lovely authors who I’ve tried to maintain contact with or a discussion with since.
–March 2023 – May 2023: Mostly marketing from this end, since I had decided earlier that I wouldn’t put much effort towards that in the future. I really just wanted to see what worked or if it was all just a waste of keystrokes. What I learned is that social marketing on an independent scale, it’s really meant for a certain kind of author, one with a certain kind of audience, and one who should probably head a rock band and not seclude himself to isolation with his written wares, such as I.
–Summer 2023: Fell in love with Data again due to a issue I had with one of my Macs. Ultimately, the problem was caused by the malevolent, in the form of a virus which attacked my firmware. The outcome was a couple of Python apps, and making another acquaintance with someone similar in age who was a Computer Science student around the same time I was.
My vehicle was stolen also, but that’s the kind of woe which is sometimes promoted as a spice of life. As long as I can pay my bills, such is good enough for me.
–Fall 2023: Finished and published A Vampire’s Tale, my most favorite of what I’ve written so far. The act solidified what I had been questioning a lot lately, since the days of multi-million-dollar book contracts are far behind us (as is suggested) I really had to decide how much farther I’m willing to go or how much longer I was going to continue pecking away.
–Winter’s coming 2023: I’m in chill mode now enjoying conversation if it can be had, Xbox, music and goodies. I also published Computors in December, the first in a series. I’m averaging three to four manuscripts a year now, big or small, novel or screenplay, published or not. I still haven’t secured a Editor but by other means I’ve gotten across.
What’s good? Well, writing for the love of your craft is a far more natural, productive, and healthier way to go than 1,000 words a day. I enjoy my scotch a lot more with this kind of practice, and I’ve even lost a few pounds. In all honesty, it doesn’t take as much or as long when you at least like the story you’re telling and better yet, what you do on the day-to-day.
On a brighter note:
I have gotten almost as much reading, as writing done, as of this year.
Found a few new authors I’m adding as favorites as well, and rediscovered some oldies who appear (some even while deceased) to still be in it for the win. Have a look at these titles if you’d like. You might be surprised by what you discover.
- The Web They Wove – Catherine Yaffe
- Twenty Years Later, Some Choose Darkness – Prime – Charlie Donlea
- Unity Pointe – R.T. Breach
- James Joyce – Ulysses
- City Dark – Prime – Robert A. Canaff
- In The Silence – M.R. Mackenzie
- When You Run With Wolves – Robert White
- Charles Dickens – The Chimes
- The Broken Soul – Cheryl Bradshaw
- Kill Night – Victor Menthos
- Once You Go Black – Alex Cage
- Arvekt – Craig Lea Gordon
- Desert Star – Prime – Michael Connelly
- Tell Me The Truth – Matthew Farrell
- Descent into Darkness – Andre De Magistris & Michelle Penn
- The Dark Below – Malcolm Richards
- And a few others I haven’t yet finished…
Those tagged with Prime may no longer be available in Kindle format by the time you read this. I just went looking for my copy of Desert Star and it has vanished from all my devices…and no, I have no idea why even though I know precisely how…which is why I not only shop around when it comes to books but is also why I make my works available across the whole of the internet.
I’ll also mention that a tiny few of these are indeed short stories. However, if you’re into counting beans then you should really look elsewhere.
Happy New Year,
Omar Daniels, BookMotives.com