As Busy as a Mosquito in a Nudist Colony

Image: Unknown

Thanks to everyone who downloaded the latest iteration of my free ebook, SELEKTION, in yesterday’s Poetry Superhighway 24 Hour Free-For-All. I’m delighted to say that my ebook came in as the 2nd most popular with 75 downloads, only missing out on the top spot from the organiser’s own submission, which came in with 99.

I’ve been quiet on the blogging front over the past few days, which should give you an idea of just how busy and concentrated I’ve been on other projects with deadlines attached. Not editorial deadlines as such, but self-imposed ones designed to keep me on my toes. And they have.

As well as working hard on my current projects and GDRs, I’ve also been helping out my wife’s business, Gail Galbraith Photography. She appeared at a wedding fair over the weekend at Leith’s Malmaison Hotel, so I helped her promote and get setup within the hotel on the day. I also made a promo video of the day for her website, which I’ll post once it’s been agreed and uploaded.

Gail has also had me adding in a new selection of products to her range, from DVDs and large prints, to acrylics and canvases. This meant website updates and a lot of them!

I managed to find some time to spend in the garden over the weekend, keeping on top of everything and using it as an excuse to get out and enjoy some of the sunny weather we’ve been enjoying. Gotta get out there while you can, but to give you a real taste of what I’ve been up to, here’s my wrap up of work completed through April and some of March:

Fiction
* Final polish of GREENER IS THE GRASS – final draft revised with new ending and printed off; being read; almost ready to submit
* Review HUNTING JACK status – sent to SW (“best work yet!”) Now pending revision. Kindle-only launch scheduled for early 2012.
* Submit to some fiction/poetry competitions – SLICK returned and sent back out. Lots new work coming through that’s likely to increase submissions next month.
* Decide what to do with BACCARA and where to go – put to the side. Gutted.
* Write new fiction – Short: A GOOD HEART (longhand); Flash: MARK (longhand); various other new ideas being scribbled out.
* Totally reorganised the storage and workflow of fiction development on my PC.

Poetry
* Finish formatting and upload all poetry books to Kindle – Complete and available UK, US, Canada, Germany
* Check all poetry books now aggregated on both Amazons (UK & US) – confirmed on both Amazons under Author page. No author page for Germany (yet).
* Finalise idea for new chapbook – two strong ideas: London trip to be written and developed on-location; Edinburgh/Leith life observations currently being written and assembled.
* Approached local artist I know for recommendations on possible illustrators to work with on SP3 release.
* Totally reorganised the storage and workflow of poetry development on my PC.

Editing
* Finalise RR issue 15 for June – not done. Needs to move to May GDR for June launch to be met.
* Special feature agreed for June issue; interview questions to be sent out.
* Copy edited 3 articles for Gail Galbraith Photography (GGP).

Freelance
* Keep all my websites updated and relevant – Latest news kept up to date; new Kindle page added; news updated; Signed Copies and Secret Pages still to come.
* Update website with fresh purchase links – done for all books; process reviewed.
* New gigs lined up for review – Kid Canaveral, Jamiroquai, Rab Howat Band
– Rachel Sermanni, Withered Hand canned due to ticket balls up
– FC Ukulele unable to attend
* Worked on GGP website: new galleries, products and pricing plans; helped out with wedding fair; made promo video.

Marketing
* Put together a massive newsletter for May release.
* Publish Podcast #1 – not done.
* Marketing campaign for poetry on Kindle – site updated, Twitter/FB campaign, PRs released.
* Consider larger promo for HJ on Kindle – planning for early 2012 launch.
– Need to revise book and do a lot of planning.
– Also want to stagger releases – teaser in August.
– Jackie McCann on Twitter and Facebook in lead up.
– Hunting website – About Jackie page
– About Katie page
– Jackie’s journey
– Ice-Cream Wars
– Buy the book

Things That Turned Up
* PC hard drive failed and had to buy a replacement and reinstall. Used notebook for couple of days but didn’t lose any data/files.
* Edinburgh Bookshop agreed to stock FF and SP3 in August. Meeting arranged through Twitter.
* Used EBS to check out Elvis Shakespeare again. They’ve change their ethos: now stock indie publishing. Will make new approach to also stocking my books.
* Twitter competition winners announced on reaching 1000 Twitter followers.
* Have approached a recommended artist for working on SP3 illustrations.
* SELEKTION 3rd edition prepared and submitted for PSH Free-For-All 2011.

Submissions Activity Summary
* SLICK kept out on submission
* No new submissions made

Successes
* Edinburgh Bookshop agreeing to stock my books is a major step forward, not only in the PR and marketing opportunities, but in the networking advantages it has opened up.
* Guardian Edinburgh invited me to submit some material but this was subsequently dropped when the Local project was canned by the newspaper’s central office). Still have the journo on file though.
* Lots of gigs reviewed this month, which was great. Some big and some small just the way I like it. Made some new contacts as well.
* Response to HUNTING JACK was delightful and I’m planning a major re-launch early in 2012. This will be unlike anything I’ve ever done before.
* I have written loads these past few weeks. Although dropping BACCARA hurt, it has released some very positive creative energy by doing so.

Failures
* BACCARA BURNING being dropped hurt but every cloud has a silver lining.
* SLICK was returned from a publisher I thought was ideal. I found another ideal one and off it went again.

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