Posts Tagged ‘video games for kids’

Change Can Be Good

// January 13th, 2011 // No Comments » // Books

I am excited to share that Danny in a Newfangled World has completed its mini-makeover.  I think everyone will appreciate its subtle changes.  The back cover now offers a mini-biography of its author (that’s me), and the social media logos, Facebook and Twitter, are gone.  After some careful thought, I decided they didn’t belong on the cover of a kids’ book.  Heck, I don’t let my kids join facebook, so I don’t want kids or parents to believe that I’m encouraging kids to join the social network.  However, kids and/or their parents are still welcome to become fans on the book’s facebook page, where I post regular updates about the book, its sequel, and book signings.  The more, the merrier!

The margins have also expanded to make the reading a bit easier on young eyes.  As a result, the final page count has gone up from 105 to 120.  Lastly, the illustrations will appear sharper in the newest edition.  Having just spoken to my printer, my next big print run will use 100% recycled paper.  I’m very pumped about that!

It hasn’t been easy, but my pledge to write one chapter every day (excluding weekends) has been going well this week.  I am now on Chapter 7, and by the end of tomorrow… should be done Chapter 8.   The downside to such a schedule is that my first draft will be a bit rougher than I’m used to.  The upside is that I will have the entire first draft complete by mid-February, at which time I can concentrate on major re-writes and smoothing out some of the sticky plot issues I am encountering along the way. 

The second book is turning out to be one fantastic cyber-story, so kids have much to look forward to!  Still haven’t thought of a title, though.  That’s always a tough call.  Hoping to get that ‘eureka’ moment in a few more chapters.

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Write Book, Market Book, Sell Book, TWEET Book?

// November 24th, 2010 // No Comments » // Books

book combines adventure and internet safetyA year ago, I was happy as a robin in springtime to be parked in front of my laptop writing short stories, books, articles, blog posts… Whatever!  As long as I could sit contentedly at my desk, alone and surrounded by silence, working on whatever piece that drove my passion to write, I wanted nothing else.  The last thing I wanted to do was go out and meet people, “brand” myself, or pick up the phone to talk to someone.  Writers, like me, have come to understand that the publishing industry doesn’t want to “hear” from us.  Just email or mail us, they say.  Don’t call us, we’ll call you.  (Although their part of the deal is optional.)  I was okay with that.  I got used to waiting.  And waiting.

However, that bubble of serenity popped the minute I decided to forge ahead with publishing Danny in a Newfangled World.  In the past few months, I’ve been spending as much time talking, marketing, and selling as I used to spend typing in solitude.  There’s nothing like being pushed outside of one’s comfort zone! 

Now, thanks to the innovative advice provided by some serious experts in social media, I’m finding myself back on my butt in front my laptop.  Part of the reason I’m back is that I have begun to write the second instalment of Danny in a Newfangled World, but I’ve also bought into the power of Twitter.  Marketing, it turns out, can be done without getting off your rear end (literally.)  I still need to make those face-to-face meetings with book sellers, distributors, and customers, but thanks to social networking, I can help build my book’s market through the relationships I build online.

My social media strategy now includes tweeting.  A lot.  Over the next 30 days, I plan to tweet 1000 times.  As with just about everything I’ve done with this book, it’s an experiment.  I look forward to seeing how it all transpires, not so keen on turning into a tweetaholic but I’ll worry about that on January 1st – when it’s time to make resolutions.  So if you’re not following me yet, now is as good a time as any!  And if you’re not on Twitter, well what are you waiting for?
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