When I first met my husband some 43 years ago, I didn't know he was a Vietnam vet. He was just the most wonderful and intriguing person I'd ever met -- a writer, a dreamer, a poet, and a traveler.
Two years ago, for his 70th birthday, his novel Reaching, based on his experiences as a draftee serving in Vietnam, was published. Life is sometimes complicated, but my gentle husband hasn't changed that much.
Yesterday, we celebrated Veteran's Day quietly with milkshakes from McDonald's and lots of football. I try to take good care of him because I want him to stick around, but we're at that age when saying goodbye is too close to reality. I'm not ready.
ROW80 Round 4: Check-in 12:
WRITING by Sunday 11/12: Use 750 words to write a minimum of 250 words a day on Island Wife. Make final revisions/formatting for Rivers of Stone a top priority. Completed afterword for Rivers of Stone. Now working on final formatting for Kindle. Wrote 400 words this week on memoir. Wrote 3,167 words for Island Wife. Taught workshop on “Deep Revision” on Wednesday (more about this on writing blog).
BLOGGING by Sunday 11/12: Post on Writing Blog. Report in for ROW80 Weds and Sunday. Posted Thursday and Sunday. Posted Part 1 of ‘Deep Revision’ on Writing Blog. Read posts by other ROW80 writers x6 for the week. Read x4 this week so far.
MARKETING by Sunday, 11/12: Work on marketing/timeline for Rivers of Stone release by December 15. Finalize cover back. Send queries re blog hop/early reviews for Rivers of Stone release. Send November newsletter. Send query re early reviewers. Set up pre-orders. Sent request for permissions x3 for quotes in Rivers of Stone (luckily one person quoted is long dead). No progress otherwise. Other: Draft PR for SASP Anthology release party and send queries to reviewers. Worked up timeline, designed promo, contacted 3 potential reviewers.
In an effort to keep life relatively simple, here are my GOALS FOR Week of 11/13-11/19.
- WRITING by Sunday 11/19: Write 750 words/day for Island Wife. Continue 1 hour/day formatting Rivers of Stone. Write 500 words/memoir.
- BLOGGING by Sunday 11/19: Post ROW80x2 (Weds/Sun). Post Part 2 “Deep Revision” on Writing Blog. Enter Carnival of Indies by 11/15. Read posts by other ROW80 writers x6/this week.
- MARKETING by Sunday 11/19: Work on marketing/timeline for Rivers of Stone release (December 15). Finalize cover back. Send queries re blog hop/early reviews for Rivers of Stone release. Send November newsletter. Send query re early reviewers. Set up pre-orders. Re SASP Anthology: Write press releases & send to local newspapers and post event online. Send promo for launch party to contributors, requesting they forward to their social network. Contact 4 more potential reviewers. Coordinate report for SASP board.
Those beautiful red and gold fall leaves are mostly gone. We're at that stage where we scan the coming week's weather forecast for snow and sigh happily when none is predicted. Isn't it a perfect time for making progress on all goals as the temperatures dip, right?
Question of the week (yes, I'd really like to know): As an indie author, did you use pre-orders? How did that work out for your book? Would you do this again? Also, do you think it's better to release your book at the very end of the year (December) or wait for 2018?
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| Manito Park October 2017 |
Isn't it sad to think that the time on this earth with our spouses is limited? As Hubby and I are starting to talk about retirement, it reminds me that the most years we've got left is 25 or so or less. We just keep telling each other that we'll see each other on "the other side".
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for continued success with those goals. Am looking more and more forward to "Rivers of Stone".
Happy belated Veteran's Day to your hubby and to all those who served. My family is full of veterans and current servicemen and women, so the day is a family one.
ReplyDeleteLike Chris, I'm looking forward to Rivers of Stone. I don't have anything "out there," but I think December works. There are always Christmas presents (for oneself, too!) as well as working people having some time off to curl up before the fire and read.