Winter Solstice/ 2022 End-Of-Year Wrap Up

 Today marks the Winter Solstice.  I have commenced with the shedding of my facial follicles from the previous year, and plan to go clean shaven until the new year is upon us.  Hopefully, the shedding of these follicles will also shed the negative energies & experiences from the year that is about to become a past year.

2022 had its ups and downs.  Of the good: I published my latest book; my 14th, which is also my 8th novel.  My novel "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022) dropped this past May.  I was able to do at least two author interviews this year; one as a podcast for a friend, and one for a local (terrestrial) radio station based out here in North Carolina. I was very proud to have been able to get that interview.  I've done additional research to expand my reach; learning of new bookstores & media outlets to send my literary information to.  I've even tried to reach out to 2 different women's basketball leagues to promote my latest novel.

Of the bad: Two additional interviews for that same terrestrial radio station fell through (much to my ire).  I haven't been able to do any in-person appearances this year.  I've job hopped a bit this year, having worked at three different jobs, and never had a consistent work schedule.  My days off were never consistent, so I could never really plan to do any appearances.  I would love to organize a reading of my latest novel.  I would also like to be able to vend at a local festival to get my name out there a little more.

I wanted to organize a Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour this year.  But, as I stated in the paragraph above, my schedule prevented me from being able to organize it.  It also didn't help that I'm not very mobile, since I don't drive.  Some of those bookstores that I wanted to include in my tour are in a different city than where I live.  Hopefully, I'll be able to do it in 2023.

I haven't really been able to work on another novel.  I haven't really be motivated to write anything.  I've been a bit bummed out because of my lack of sales for 2CP.  It kinda sucks to put all of this effort into your project, and not receive the type of support that you know that you deserve.  If I do end up publishing something for 2023, it won't come out until much later next year.

I'm considering bringing back the Universal Africana Literary Arts Movement.  Just considering it.  I'm not trying to stretch myself thin, like I was before.  There is still a great need for what I do/did with the movement, but I'm gonna need some help to make shit happen.  We'll see...

 

See ya next year!!!  😊😊😊😊

Uhuru sasa, y paz.

Keep the fist raised.

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind

The Chill of December

 We are now in the month of DECEMBER!!!  The final month of the year is now upon us.  In a matter of weeks, we will be entering into a new year. My...this year has flow by really quick.  Weren't we JUST celebrating the coming of the new year...? 😲😲😲😲

My latest novel "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022) is now seven months old.  I'm still doing what I can to promote it, but sales continue to be stagnant.  Been reaching out to two women's basketball leagues regularly on the email front (Global Women's Basketball Association [GWBA], and Women's American Basketball Association [WABA]), but no joy, as of yet.  I've even contacted some of the individual teams of the latter league (at least four teams), and still nothing.  Gonna have to find a way to work my magic to gain some sort of sales.  Looks like I'm gonna have to work on doing some in-person events this coming year...

No plans for the upcoming Winter Solstice, other than my usual 'follicle' cleanse.  I'm actually going to be off for Xmas (since I worked on Thanksgiving at the day job), but most likely working on the first day of Kwanzaa (if not the entire run of the holiday).  Don't know of any Kwanzaa events going on out here in Raleigh, so that's another missed opportunity.  Oh, well...maybe next year.  **shoulder shrug**

I just posted Episode 54 of "The Rough Draft" onto YouTube.  That latest episode was based off of a Twitter exchange that I'd gotten into.  Kinda needed the opportunity to vent.  It was just a very frustrating experience.  Don't know if I'm going to do an end-of-year episode, or not.  I'll keep you guys posted.

 

Good news!!!  Got me an interview scheduled by another radio host on WCOM-FM!!!  We will be talking about my latest book, and my writing career in general.  I'm looking forward to it, as I haven't done too many interviews in recent years.  Definitely need to get my exposure game up.

 

More good news!!!  My eBooks will now be available in the Smashwords Store!!  With the merging of my e-publisher Draft2Digital and Smashwords, my works are able to be made available through their outlets and distribution channels, including their online store.  That gives my book titles even more real estate to be discovered by potential fans willing and interested in downloading my novels.  Hope that this helps me out.  I could really use that residual income (not to mention, the notoriety).  Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

That's all for now.  I'll keep you all in the loop, and let you know how the interview goes.  If the interviewer provides me a link, I'll definitely share it here with you guys.  Wish me luck!!

 

Keep the fist raised!!!

 

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind