It's been way too long since I posted here. I was reminded of that recently when a friend told me that he had stumbled across this blog and had found information of value in it.
Although I have some book projects in mind, and two in the works, I do not intend to publish any more books by anyone other than myself (or edited/modified reprints of public domain works). The only exceptions would be books by immediate family members -- and only one looks like a real prospect.
Sales of Evelyn Swift's Wyla the Witch and The Lostcreek Legacy are at a standstill, and I've pretty much recognized that the remaining stock of copies will have to be disposed of in some way (properly accounting for tax consequences, of course). With Evelyn no longer here to promote the books (and unable to do so for some time before her passing on account of illness/disability), there is little I can do, or at that I can do at all well. I cannot very well hold signings. No one wants the publishers autograph. (Well, almost no one.)
The late Chuck Myer's Melanoma Melodrama sells an occasional copy here and there (U.S. and U.K.), including via iPad downloads (THAT came as a surprise to me). I have only a few copies on hand, and I have converted those to personal use, along with a stack of Wyla, Lostcreek, and Capital Crimes. Sales of the latter are in the hands of the authors and editors, who have their own supplies to use for Sisters in Crime/Sacramento Chapter fundraising purposes.
I'll give copies away (having accounted for and paid applicable CA use tax) or use them for charitable fundraising purposes.
All of the books were worth publishing, despite small sales and unprofitability, so that is something.
Currently planned books will be print-on-demand (maybe with a few copies for local sales or promotional use), and very low-risk undertakings, other than some investment of my own time. Well, I have to do something with my time, so crafting some books is ok.
Meanwhile, at long last, as an opportunity came up to lease convenient and inexpensive office space, I took the bait. I'm now set up in an office two miles from home (good walking distance in good weather for walking), with a few hundred books: writing, reference and source material for some of my projects. When I can get a couple more sets of shelving (the store was out of the ones I wanted) I'll bring more from home. CD player and stacks of music CDs help to complete the setup.
I'm reading a book by Kirt Hickman, titled Revising Fiction: Making Sense of the Madness. I find myself talking back to the author as I read, but I'll save further comments for later posts. Kirt contributed the book to CWC-Sacramento, which put it up for bids as a fundraiser. I made the winning bid.
Comments