Sitting in my Ivory Tower

Just in case you think writing is about sitting in an ivory tower and spinning words, I’d like to disabuse you of that notion (is disabuse a word?). Yesterday when I thought I had the whole day ahead of me, I did final corrections on Murder at Peacock Mansion, but I can’t submit to Amazon yet because as soon as they approve they publish—and I’ve publicized a November 11 launch date. Timing is all—and difficult.

Then the publisher of my mysteries has announced she is closing her press. I am forever grateful to Kim Jacobs and Turquoise Morning Press for getting me launched in the mystery field. She is so generous that she is returning files and cover art—the latter is a big deal, because I love the covers she did and I think there’s marketing value in continuity. Besides, it’s expensive to get new cover designs.

But there are eight books, with rights reverted to me—what to do about them? After considerable thought and advice from two writers groups I belong to, I have decided to release them as e-books only spaced two months apart. I’m hoping this will give me a marketing advantage. I’ll start with Murder at the Blue Plate Café, because the third book in that series, Murder at Peacock Mansion, launches November 11.

I’m one of 88 contributors to a cookbook titled We’d Rather Be Writing—quick and easy recipes and cooking hints. So I’ve been trying to do my part to promote it. You can pre-order for Christmas gifts at http://www.amazon.com/Wed-Rather-Be-Writing-Timesaving-ebook/dp/B01638N5PO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444185929&sr=1-1&keywords=we%27d+rather+be+writing  although that’s digital only. If you’re like me, you prefer cookbooks in print, and that will also be available—just not for pre-order.

And then my own food book, Texas is Chili Country, is due from Texas Tech Press October 15. Yikes! That’s this month! Next week. Pre-order at http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Chili-Country-History-recipes/dp/089672946X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444186389&sr=1-1&keywords=Texas+is+Chili+Country I’ve been mentioning it but haven’t done much promotion, so I wrote tonight to ask what they want me to do. I’d love to have a chili cookoff in Fort Worth to promote it. The book is a mix of anecdotal history and recipes. It’s almost chili weather folks and time to think about what version you want to cook—although there’s a lot in the book about purists, who insist no beans, no vegetables, etc. There are separate sections on beans and beer, because what goes better with chili than beans and beer.

So that’s why I didn’t write a thousand words tonight on my untitled work in progress. It’s not like I was shilly-shallying. Writing is a business, besides the fun times of letting words spew out onto the paper. I’m tired.