ROW80: Hot Sunday check-in

Temps highest so far this summer:  expected to be 95F today, and, yes, I turned down an opportunity to go pick strawberries! Instead, I'm dithering away about my writing goals (and actual performance) and that neat 1,000-piece puzzle in our cool (for now) apartment. I've been working on downsizing this week and finally donated the last of 5 boxes of books to our library for their annual book sale. These books are on Mayan and Aztec culture, left over from teaching humanities. OK, so I kept 10. Do I really need 3 bookcases in my little office???

Do you still have books that you can't quite say 'no' to?  Don't you love the feel of a book, the snap of pages as you read through, engrossed by maps and charts and glossy photographs. Alas, that tiny print has pushed me almost entirely to Kindle, and I'm letting go -- slowly -- of some of my favorites.

Last week's progress was pretty good. The writing and revision for Rivers of Stone goes slowly but steadily (more about that on my Writing blog a little later today). Chapters 5-7 are now relatively complete. And I finally worked on marketing, balancing reading with action steps. Completed publicity for Spokane Authors; proofed newsletter and worked on a library report for Washington State Quilters. Reorganized my quilting corner (actually in a closet), finished my secret quilting project, and am 50% through binding a comfort quilt.

Beth's sewing closet!

Did I post on my writing blog? Not this week. I am working through a step-by-step workshop by Shelly Hitz of Training Authors (and other research) that is helping me to identify areas to work on. For the blog, my first steps are to 1) Understand what my goal is in writing the blog -- reaching out to readers and other writers of historical fiction. 2) Plan out a series of content my readers would be interested in (The key here is to have fun. More of a 'what if?' approach). 3) Make a consistent schedule that I can commit to.

More Progress with Marketing? Had fun uploading an author interview that video/storyteller Sandy Jensen did of me last summer at Lake Chelan (we ran into each other by accident). Uploaded the video to Amazon USA and to Amazon UK. You can see it HERE.

Other major changes: I ended my enrollment in KDP Select and am in the process of relisting my books on Smashwords. Lots of technical reasons. The most important being I feel invisible on Amazon, and I really like being able to use coupons for discounts and giveaways on Smashwords. So, we'll see. Have you gone wide or narrow re Amazon/Smashwords? Was that an easy decision?

GOALS: Keeping it simple for the coming week: 
--Writing: Revise 3 more chapters for Rivers of Stone.
--Blogging: Post in Writing blog x1 and ROW80 blog x2. Read other writers x6.
--Reading: Read 3 books this week. Review 1 book by an indie writer, and 2 more chapters in Sally Mitchell’s Daily Life in Victorian England.
--Marketing: Work on magnet. Set up GoodReads giveaway. Enter Smashwords summer reading promo. Keep working that marketing plan!
--Other: Complete binding for comfort quilt. Exercise 5/7/days. Enjoy the summer!!!!

Now check out what other ROW80 folks are doing -- at least those who don't stop for the proverbial break between 80 day rounds. We're an online group of writers who set goals, work on writing, and try to encourage each other.  We're on FaceBook and have a website coordinated by two amazing facilitators: Eden Mabee and Shan Jeniah Burton. Thank YOU! Why not join in?

Peonies in Manito Park (June 2017)