I’m lost in a storm of marketing my first book while trying to complete my third. The realization that I have a responsibility to promote A Band of Roses doesn’t diminish my enthusiasm for the third book in the "Roses" trilogy, but it definitely cuts into the time I’d like to devote to figuring out how Talty and company will thwart the bad guys. I can’t help wondering how the original Brian Boru would have dealt with such a dilemma. Marketing was all important to the ambitious King Brian, who dubbed himself "Imperator Scotorum," the Emperor of the Irish. I suspect he would have gloried in the internet.
I had great fun changing history in A Band of Roses by imagining that King Brian survived the Battle of Clontarf and established a dynasty that still rules Ireland. The fun continues, and I’ve heard from many fellow dreamers who wouldn’t mind if this scenario had actually occurred. While we High King proponents might enjoy a moment’s fantasy about how things might have been, I'm seeking ways to deal with how they are.
A Band of Roses first hit the proverbial streets in March 2008, released in paperback by a now defunct publisher. I got so far as to enjoy wonderful reviews and a book signing at the Barnes and Noble near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but I lost my marketing momentum. Months passed before I found a new publisher. Red Rose Publishing released the story as an e-book in February 2009, and I’m hoping my baby will return in physical form soon. The sequel, Fiery Roses, is in the Red Rose editorial staff’s queue. My heartfelt desire now is to plow forward with Salty Roses, the third book in the trilogy. Yet marketing for A Band of Roses lurks in the background, compelling me to check my web site’s stats each day and making me wonder if I’ve done all I can do to "get it out there." The technology available to authors nowadays is intimidating, at least to me, and though I’ll continue to try, I suspect I’ll never have done enough.Labels: A Band of Roses, Battle of Clontarf, Brian Boru
Posted by Pat McDermott
at 10:23 PM
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