Recap!

Hello! This Blog was intended as a ‘recap’ (or the blog equivalent of a clipshow?) but a few new things have cropped up. I’ll do a quick recap first, and keep you waiting for the new info (unless, of course, you scroll down…)

I can’t honestly tell you how the book has been selling – it’s been up and down the Amazon charts like a yo-yo! As you know, it’s still only in two bricks and mortar shops (Henry’s Books and Waterstones – Hexham), so it’ll probably just be bought by people who are specifically looking for it… Perhaps I’ll get paid any royalties in loose change!

I still have no real printed reviews. I’ve got a few mentions on the internet (aside from the Trashionista review that you know about) but these are mainly from people on forums that I belong to. These are generally positive, apart from the one that said Karma was predictable…but I KNEW she was going to say that! Ha, ha! By the way, the competition to win a £15 Amazon voucher is still running: just submit your review for the chance to win. It would be nice (although I realise now that it’s close to impossible) to get a review in a women’s glossy or a national newspaper. We can live in hope…

You’re all well aware that I’ve had little support from local quarters (except Henry’s Books, Waterstones – Hexham and the Sunday Sun) – that theme continues. I’ve had most publicity from sources I’d never anticipated ie ME Essentials, That’s Inspiration, etc. I’ve come into contact with a lot of nice people I would probably never have met, had it not been for the book – so that’s been a positive thing.

At the end of the day, I still don’t feel like I belong in the writing community. I joined several groups, but feel unable to contribute as I am clueless about the business. I feel out of my depth when they talk about PR, agents, promos, workshops, conferences, prizes, BSPs (what the heck is a BSP?), submissions – the list is seemingly endless! Even the so-called ‘newbies’ know more than me.

One thing I’ve never been short of is support…from all sorts of people and places! Hope you all know who you are and how grateful I am. Finally, for this recap, I’ll answer the question I posed in my first ever posting: it’s not impossible for one little tired woman to take on the task of book promotion in a competitive market, but practically impossible!

Now to new things. I was contemplating being in my fourteenth minute of fame, and winding things down when I got some advice from an unexpected source. I got an email from Adele Parks! I’d contacted her as part of my ‘enquiring minds wanna know’ phase a few months ago, and she actually replied – how nice was that? Soon afterwards, I got a call from my publishers saying that the Kindred Spirit magazine may be interested in running a story on me (www.kindredspirit.co.uk). I love alternative and holistic therapies, so I am delighted that they are considering interviewing me for their September/October issue. I began studying to be a Massage Therapist a looonnnnngggg time ago, as I thought that when I was well, I’d be able to start my own business. Maybe it will still happen – who knows???