Chapter One of Marooned Posted

Maooned on Planet EARTH Devynn's Dilemma Cover

I’ve just posted Chapter One of Marooned on Planet EARTH – Devynn’s Dilemma. But I also want to say, titles and book covers are tentative, and subject to change. Also, just so you know, the story has nothing to do with sci fi or aliens. It’s just how Devynn feels about her life right now. I’m sure most of us know that feeling!

I am in the process of preparing to launch the story in the next two or three months. I really want to just do it; you know – just get it up on Amazon, iBook, Barnes and Noble, and all those other places just as quick as possible. But, I guess I’ll try it the right way this time. See what happens.

At the same time, I’ll be relaunching Dalton’s Last Stand to see if I can generate new interest in that book.

So to prepare for those events, I have to contact reviewers, put together a media kit with press release. do up a book trailer, and maybe see about blog tours. Some places want only a paperback, so I may do a mock up at Createspace to generate preview copies. Nothing fancy, because I haven’t finalized the cover or finished these last edits.

I sort of get some anxieties at this stage.

Should I change the title again? Does this one really say what I need it to say? Am I really sure of all of my names? Am I happy with the spellings? The families of my characters and their personalities, are they developed enough? Should I cut someone, and who? Or, should I add someone? Is the town what I want it to be? Will it be consistent with other stories I may set in this town or have already set in it?

And I have set another story in this version of Northfield, as Jerrianna and Jeoffrey Kingsley also live here. Different part of it, though. The twins live on a street set up like one I used to live on years ago. I reference some of the places, like Cooper’s Diner, the bowling alley, and Northfield Supermarket. It’s a small town. Not quite as small as the Northfield I lived in until I was six or seven, but not a bustling city either. I should map it out, get it on paper and out of my head.

I’ll go into more detail about all this stuff with my Creating the Story page for Devynn.  For now, I just want to get the word out that she’s finally going to be coming out. The cover pictured is just to represent the story for now. It’s not the final one, although I’m okay with it. I have a different one I wanted to use, but as I use stock images from iStock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, StockUnlimited, Pixaby, Depositphoto, and other similar places, it’s tough finding just what you want and need. I wish I could draw, so I could do my own awesome covers, but alas . . . I cannot. I would outsource them, but my budget is tiny, and I am hesitant to reach out to illustrators or cover designers for fear of having to pay for something that doesn’t make me happy.

Stock images are great if you know how to use them effectively. I love this image. She has just the right expression I was looking for. Wasn’t looking for a teen girl all dolled up. Just a girl being herself. My first cover had other people in the background. I found the perfect image for Rodney, but for Thayne and Devynn’s mom, X’Laena . . . still looking. Those I had at the time have been removed by their respective owners. So, although I bought a license to use them, according to iStock’s new rules, I can no longer do so. So, I’m out that money.

Yeah, I wish I could draw!

Then, I have to hit upon a price for the book. While I’d like to set it at $3.75, it will likely be $2.99, with a launch price of .99 cents. I’ve already repriced the twins book at $2.99. My sources say a launch is a four day event. So, I need to wrap my head around this stuff so I can launch in March or April.

Really . . . I just want to toss it out there . . .

I know, I know . . . I’m going to suck it up and do it right . . .!