The Year in Review

Looking Back

It is at this time of the year that we as humans, tend to look back at the past year and assess the highs and lows. This is especially so for me as I celebrate yet another birthday on Boxing Day (26th) December.

A few days before last Christmas I received a rejection letter from a publisher and decided this was going to be my last one. Not only was it a rejection, it was a rejection from a line I had not submitted the full manuscript to in the first place.

Fed up with the inefficent snail pace of traditional publishers and encouraged by my friend Kris Pearson, who has self-published with great success, I decided to dip my toes in the self-publishing pool.

Has it been a success? For sure….as I now receive royalty cheques….but it’s sure been a lot of hard work. In February I released my two pre-published works

Return To Totara Park and Yesterday’s Sins.

Since then I have released a further five books…. all of which have placed in the prestigious Clendon Award run in conjunction with the Romance Writers of New Zealand.

Shadow Dance Bk I in the Mulleins of Katherine Bay, Ashlyn’s Bodyguard Bk II in the Mulleins of Katherine Bay and Lovers’ Lies.

When I published Seven For A Secret, I decided it was time to branch out and put my works on all other e-book platforms through Kobo and Smashwords.

In October my new web site went live and for this, I thank Michelle Sullivan of Webmatters….I gave her the brief but was still blown away with what she acheived.

The last night at 11pm our time….. One Hour To Midnight went live on Amazon. The timing was appropriate as it was a few days after the event that has defined my life… and was the driving reason behind writing this book in the first place.

So now a New Year beckons …. Will there be more books? For sure writing is an addiction and I’ve promised my readers Book Three in the Mulleins of Katherine Bay, Sarah’s Baby.

And yet more readers are clamouring for Logan’s Story…. Keir’s step-brother in Lovers’ Lies.

When I have readers asking for books and start receiving fan letters from readers….well to me that equates to success. But these will naturally be spaced further apart as they need to be written and are not residing in my electronic bottom drawer.

Tags: Clendon Award, Contemporary feel good romances, feature, featured, Kris Pearson, Self publishing

Published on Monday, December 17th, 2012, under Latest News