Never leave your success solely in the hands of another.
When I first sat down to write what turned out to be The Wise Ass, I hadn’t a clue about how to write a novel. I did know how to tell a story. I’ve been doing that most of my life. But I didn’t know if I could write a really long story that had a beginning, middle and end and that would keep a reader interested enough to read to the last page. Luckily, the fae, some extraterrestrial kibitzing and Claire the magical mule helped me with that.
It turns out that writing a book is the easy part.
Publishing is tricky.
Publishing is an extremely competitive business.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_published_per_country_per_year
There is a lot of selections of words in print vying for the attention of the readers of the world.
So, when you are an old dog, like me, with no publishing record, you are blessed if anyone thinks enough of your writing to publish it.
Luckily, an independent publisher, Black Rose Writing, took a chance.
https://www.blackrosewriting.com/home#gsc.tab=0
https://www.blackrosewriting.com/tommccaffrey
I mean, think about it. I was a 63 year old unknown. I didn’t even have a published article in a magazine to point to.
Thank you Reagan Rothe (hi Minna & kids) and your wonderful team at BRW.
Four years later, I have a successful, five book, sci-fi/fantasy series – The Claire Saga – available on Amazon, B&N, Target, Walmarts and any other online distribution platform you can think of.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Tom+McCaffrey
Pinch me. A dream come true.
But when you are published through an indie-publisher, you have to put in a lot of leg work to support your books.
Book fairs, book clubs, readings, and a lot of freebies. My wife, the ever patient Lisa (yes, the basis for Gina), constantly reminds me about the most expensive hobby I have ever had.
You have to approach every stranger you meet as a potential reader/buyer of your books. As I complete any interaction with any stranger, I always ask, “Do you like to read?”
Some people are honest, “Not really.”
But if they answer “yes,” they are rewarded with a spiel about my books, Claire, and even me. I try to make it as entertaining as possible.
I am shameless.
When you are my age, well into the winter of my discontent, you do not have the luxury of a slow build to establish your name as a writer. You also don’t really care if the world thinks you are a little bit crazy.
That is probably part of what drove me to write and publish 5 books in 3 years. As more and more books joined the series, I realized I wanted to get Claire’s story completed, just in case.
Where The Ley Lines Meet gets me to that finish line, while leaving open he possibility of a brand new race, if I still have the legs for it.
Thank God for the Internet.
I had absolutely no online presence when I signed that first contract.
I started from scratch, as a luddite, building this website and trying to make it look appealing.
I had no idea what I was going to do with it.
My dear friend, writer and filmmaker, Colin Broderick (https://www.colinbroderick.com/) – who gave me the awesome “Grisham on mushrooms” cover blurb for TWA – told me to write a blog and use it to introduce the real Claire the Mule to the readers.
I know CB forever. I appear briefly in his first memoir, Orangutan, as an unnamed lawyer friend in CB’s bookstore who gives him advice about adoption (true story), and I have an essay in his wonderful gift to the Irish Literary Diaspora, The Writing Irish Of New York – https://www.colinbroderick.com/books/the-writing-irish-of-new-york. His wonderful brogue reminds me of my Northern Irish grandfather, Spaghetti. We are on the phone at least once a week chatting about life and writing. His books and films are amazing, so check them out.
His latest novel is amazing.
Anyway, so I took CB’s advice and starting blogging about my life with Claire, here on what came to be known as Casa Claire. I also go into the backstory of all of the people and events that somehow have made their way into The Claire Saga. It’s pretty much like leaving a diary open on the family’s kitchen table.
You fine, five readers can attest that there are no sacred cows (although there are cows), and there is no area of my life that I have not touched upon.
But I do it because it makes me write pretty much every day, and I don’t have the luxury of a living mother who will champion her son posthumously, like Mrs. Toole.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Confederacy_of_Dunces
So, should I unexpectedly trip through the veil, I’ve tried to let you all see what kind of (insane?) mind is behind the books, and what influences in life have led him to pen these stories.
But each blog also serves as a taste of my writing and sense of humor, like one of those sample trays at Costco that hopefully makes you stop what you are doing and toss the actual item in your cart.
As a quick aside, did I mention (of course I did) that The Wise Ass Kindle version is a free download to Prime Members on Amazon through and including August 31st?
Just click and buy – you don’t have to read it right away, or ever, but you will want to. However, taking advantage of this freebee will make me look great to the Amazon powers that be. So, go ahead, click.
I told you, I am shameless.
So, if any of my fine, five readers (Claire’s Theorem) are ever interested, these blog postings are searchable and if you wonder if something/someone in any of the books is also mentioned in the blog, plug in a term and check it out. You will be amazed.
So ends my lecture on basic marketing. Sell yourself. Shamelessly. No one can do it better.
Well, here we are with another Monday waiting for us.
Finish that cuppa, and launch with determination. It will probably be quite at work as a lot of people escape into that last week of August as their summer’s last hurrah. Friday will be glad handing you before you know it.
If no one is watching you, read a Kindle book on your iPhone. Just try not to guffaw.
I’m going to head outside and cuddle some kitties, then make my rounds.
But, no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.
4 Responses
Onward and upward! #Excelsior
Q: How do we search the blog?
Click on the “Blog” drop down menu and you’ll see a “Search” spot.
Thanks for the inspiration. My debut novel (with BRW) just released last week. Time to start being shameless! 😜