So far, things are going as well as can be expected. I'm getting a few more hours at the day job, so that's helping to put a little bit more money into my pocket. Apparently, I recently sold two copies of "Seductra: Web of Desire" (CreateSpace, 2017). Now, if I can just get some more purchases, and get those purchases to happen on a more consistent basis...
Speaking of Seductra, I was recently able to add it to the Kindle platform, so now there is NO excuse for people to not support the book in eBook format. As it is, ALL of my books are available on Kindle, with the exception of "Demure Nights" (CreateSpace, 2015). Because of its mature adult content, they won't let me upload the book on there. I find that kinda ironic; they won't carry Erotica, but they'll carry THE trashiest Street Lit books on the market. Oh well....
Fiesta Girl is basically complete. I'm actually planning on releasing it next year in 2018. It will only be available in eBook format though. IMHO, the page count is too low to be printed as a paperback, so I won't have any physical copies available. I'm still kinda leery about releasing it solely as an eBook, considering that my eBook sales aren't great at all. The document is pretty much done, as far as the editing is concerned, and I've already designed the front cover. I'm planning on releasing it during Akoma Day (February 14th-20th), considering that it's a love story. I'll give you more details that closer the release date gets.
Right now, I'm just trying to close out the year on a positive and strong note. Things have picked up for me this year, being able to get the hell away from New York, and get a job. Next, I need to get me my own place, an apartment, and further my writing career with some exposure. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a few appearances next year, as well as vend at a few festivals and book fairs. It's all about building up my writing career, now. I have the inventory; right now I just need the support. I'm going to be updating my business cards, and so I'll hopefully have some available next year when I start to do appearances again. I already have the cards designed, so that's not much of a problem. I'll just upload the image to Vista Print, and make a few copies.
All in all, I can't really complain. Things are improving for me, and have improved a lot over the last few months. Hopefully, this good fortune will continue, and I'll be able to make that mark, not only out here in Delaware, but also throughout my writing career. I'm still working on my future writing projects, and hope to have them completed in the years to come. Now that Fiesta Girl is out of the way, I can get back to writing the sequels to "The Chronicles of The Black Fist" (CreateSpace 2015). Yes, that's right...that is sequels with an "s". Books 2 and 3 are already in the pipeline. I will be expanding the story, and adding new characters. I personally feel that it is such a hot subject, and that I can do so much more with the storyline. I'm almost done with the first draft of Book 2, and I'm still writing the early drafts of Book 3. I can't wait to finish writing them, and releasing them.
That's all for now. Stay tuned!!! Keep the fist raised!!!
CHRONICLES OF THE BROWN BLACK FIST: Home to the literature, art, and activism of Kevin Alberto Sabio
Monday, November 20, 2017
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Literary Updates
The story so far.....
So, "Seductra: Web of Desire" (CreateSpace, 2017) has been out for about five months now via eBook, and paperback. Haven't really seen any decent sales as of yet, but a whole like of 'likes' on social media. People obviously don't get the hint that they need to PURCHASE an actual copy of the book in order to actually SUPPORT me and my writing career. None of my other titles have moved much either, though I have to admit that I haven't been actively promoting my work like I usually do as of late b/c of my lack of internet access. I didn't go hardcore on promoting my works for Latino Heritage Month this year, not that that has ever made a difference. It just makes the struggle harder, and makes me question those that call themselves my friends and supporters.
I've completed one of my more recent manuscripts, and have been going through the editing process as of late. It's an Afro Latino love story called "Fiesta Girl", yet another one of my conversion projects (Demure Nights and Seductra were also originally screenplays that I've converted into novels). I'm trying to expand it, as I personally feel that the page and word count are quite low for a novel. If I can't expand it beyond the current word/page count, I might just choose to release it solely as a eBook. I'm quite skeptical to do that, honestly; one of my other projects is available exclusively as an eBook [Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic (Draft2Digital, 2015)], and the sales for THAT particular project are dismal, and not very promising. I'll let you know what I plan to do when I'm finished editing that project. Fiesta Girl is a personal favorite of mine, and I'm in no rush to release it before it's ready, and I'm completely happy with the story. I'm working on the cover design for it as I write this....
I'm hoping to end the year on a positive note. I'm considering doing a Kwanzaa event, or two, and hoping to focus my energies on 2018. I'm not really planning on publishing anything in 2018; just promoting my remaining works, and getting my name out there. It would help if I had SOME sort of residual income additionally coming in. Other than that, it's all about promotion and exposure in 2018.
Not really planning on releasing anything in the coming year. I MIGHT release "Fiesta Girl"....IF I'm satisfied with the story. I'm still working on completing one of the sequels to "The Chronicles of The Black Fist" (CreateSpace, 2015), hopefully by 2018. Don't know if I'll release it, or not, when it's finally finished....
Other than that, I'm just hoping to gain some REAL support, and gain some readers; hopefully I can make an impact locally here in Delaware. I've gotten to know some people out here that are interested in my work, which is the whole reason why I moved out here in the first place. Start small and locally, and then go from there.
Wish me luck!!! :-D
So, "Seductra: Web of Desire" (CreateSpace, 2017) has been out for about five months now via eBook, and paperback. Haven't really seen any decent sales as of yet, but a whole like of 'likes' on social media. People obviously don't get the hint that they need to PURCHASE an actual copy of the book in order to actually SUPPORT me and my writing career. None of my other titles have moved much either, though I have to admit that I haven't been actively promoting my work like I usually do as of late b/c of my lack of internet access. I didn't go hardcore on promoting my works for Latino Heritage Month this year, not that that has ever made a difference. It just makes the struggle harder, and makes me question those that call themselves my friends and supporters.
I've completed one of my more recent manuscripts, and have been going through the editing process as of late. It's an Afro Latino love story called "Fiesta Girl", yet another one of my conversion projects (Demure Nights and Seductra were also originally screenplays that I've converted into novels). I'm trying to expand it, as I personally feel that the page and word count are quite low for a novel. If I can't expand it beyond the current word/page count, I might just choose to release it solely as a eBook. I'm quite skeptical to do that, honestly; one of my other projects is available exclusively as an eBook [Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic (Draft2Digital, 2015)], and the sales for THAT particular project are dismal, and not very promising. I'll let you know what I plan to do when I'm finished editing that project. Fiesta Girl is a personal favorite of mine, and I'm in no rush to release it before it's ready, and I'm completely happy with the story. I'm working on the cover design for it as I write this....
I'm hoping to end the year on a positive note. I'm considering doing a Kwanzaa event, or two, and hoping to focus my energies on 2018. I'm not really planning on publishing anything in 2018; just promoting my remaining works, and getting my name out there. It would help if I had SOME sort of residual income additionally coming in. Other than that, it's all about promotion and exposure in 2018.
Not really planning on releasing anything in the coming year. I MIGHT release "Fiesta Girl"....IF I'm satisfied with the story. I'm still working on completing one of the sequels to "The Chronicles of The Black Fist" (CreateSpace, 2015), hopefully by 2018. Don't know if I'll release it, or not, when it's finally finished....
Other than that, I'm just hoping to gain some REAL support, and gain some readers; hopefully I can make an impact locally here in Delaware. I've gotten to know some people out here that are interested in my work, which is the whole reason why I moved out here in the first place. Start small and locally, and then go from there.
Wish me luck!!! :-D
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Reflections, and Manifestations
So my birthday passed recently, on October 8th to be exact....
I just turned 43. Was feeling a bit melancholy in the beginning, but the actual day itself wasn't too bad. Had to work on my birthday, but it wasn't a bad day nonetheless.
I had to look at it in a positive way. I am lucky enough to see yet another year of life, relatively unscathed. Despite some of the ups and downs that I've gone through this year so far, I've got to count my blessings, and see my life in the upswing. I'm working, I got THE HELL out of New York, and I'm still working on establishing my writing career. So far, I'm considering 2017 to be a rebuilding year, trying to get myself reestablished in my writing career. I need to get myself straight personally first, before I move further with my career. I do have more piece of mind now, and feel a bit more relaxed, and at ease.
On the down side of things, I'm not where I want to be in life at 43 years old. I should have been married by now, with some children, which is something that I still very much want. I want to be a dad, and a great husband, and neither option seems very attainable at the moment. I'm barely dating, as it is . I want to have children before I get too old to enjoy them. I'm definitely not getting any younger, and don't want to wait until I'm too old to have any, or not be able to have any children at all. And...I'm not trying to have a child by just any old body, either.
I'm not where I wan to be right now, but I'm making progress. I'm a lot better off than I was the last few years, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to ending out the year on a strong note, and strategizing for next year. I'm still working on some future writing projects, but want to concentrate on promoting my existing books.
Here's to another year of life, and a successful move forward.....
I just turned 43. Was feeling a bit melancholy in the beginning, but the actual day itself wasn't too bad. Had to work on my birthday, but it wasn't a bad day nonetheless.
I had to look at it in a positive way. I am lucky enough to see yet another year of life, relatively unscathed. Despite some of the ups and downs that I've gone through this year so far, I've got to count my blessings, and see my life in the upswing. I'm working, I got THE HELL out of New York, and I'm still working on establishing my writing career. So far, I'm considering 2017 to be a rebuilding year, trying to get myself reestablished in my writing career. I need to get myself straight personally first, before I move further with my career. I do have more piece of mind now, and feel a bit more relaxed, and at ease.
On the down side of things, I'm not where I want to be in life at 43 years old. I should have been married by now, with some children, which is something that I still very much want. I want to be a dad, and a great husband, and neither option seems very attainable at the moment. I'm barely dating, as it is . I want to have children before I get too old to enjoy them. I'm definitely not getting any younger, and don't want to wait until I'm too old to have any, or not be able to have any children at all. And...I'm not trying to have a child by just any old body, either.
I'm not where I wan to be right now, but I'm making progress. I'm a lot better off than I was the last few years, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to ending out the year on a strong note, and strategizing for next year. I'm still working on some future writing projects, but want to concentrate on promoting my existing books.
Here's to another year of life, and a successful move forward.....
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Updates & Info
Yeah....I've been off my game for a while....
So, Sedutra: Web of Desire was finally published as a paperback, and I celebrated the 2-year publishing anniversary of "Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic" in August. Other than that, I've been plugging away at the day job, in which I've finally reached the end of my probationary period. The job is going so-so right now.
I'm still wondering what to do now, as far as my literary dreams are concerned. The sales still aren't there, no matter WHAT I do to promote them. I'm getting sick and tired of the whole email campaign thing that I've been doing hardcore, for the last three years. It's just not effective; I can e-blast people until my fingers fall off, and it still won't get me anywhere. I want to get back into the festival/book fair circuit, but my current day job doesn't allow me the opportunity to do that, since I work mostly on the weekends. Not to mention, it'll cost me to pay the vending fee, on top of ordering books for each event.
At the same time, I have ideas of other book projects that I want to work on, but I'm not really motivated to write them down. I'm struggling as it is to gain support for my current published work; why write (and publish) some other shit that people just won't read? It feels like a huge waste of time. Even when I promote on social media, niggas just wanna press the 'like' button, and keep it moving. Fuck that...I'm trying to make a living at this. But, they'll break their necks trying to buy the new $1100 iPhone, smdh.....
But, I digress....
Freedom ain't free. I'm earning a living at my current job, but it's not enough. I want financial and creative freedom. I don't want to be punching someone else's clock...I wanna punch my own. Fuck being a field negro...I want to be a Maroon. But...it takes some effort on the part of others. I can write and publish these books until my last days....people have to go out, and support my work. Really....it's that fucking simple.
Yeah.....this was a bit of a rant session.
Deal with it.
So, Sedutra: Web of Desire was finally published as a paperback, and I celebrated the 2-year publishing anniversary of "Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic" in August. Other than that, I've been plugging away at the day job, in which I've finally reached the end of my probationary period. The job is going so-so right now.
I'm still wondering what to do now, as far as my literary dreams are concerned. The sales still aren't there, no matter WHAT I do to promote them. I'm getting sick and tired of the whole email campaign thing that I've been doing hardcore, for the last three years. It's just not effective; I can e-blast people until my fingers fall off, and it still won't get me anywhere. I want to get back into the festival/book fair circuit, but my current day job doesn't allow me the opportunity to do that, since I work mostly on the weekends. Not to mention, it'll cost me to pay the vending fee, on top of ordering books for each event.
At the same time, I have ideas of other book projects that I want to work on, but I'm not really motivated to write them down. I'm struggling as it is to gain support for my current published work; why write (and publish) some other shit that people just won't read? It feels like a huge waste of time. Even when I promote on social media, niggas just wanna press the 'like' button, and keep it moving. Fuck that...I'm trying to make a living at this. But, they'll break their necks trying to buy the new $1100 iPhone, smdh.....
But, I digress....
Freedom ain't free. I'm earning a living at my current job, but it's not enough. I want financial and creative freedom. I don't want to be punching someone else's clock...I wanna punch my own. Fuck being a field negro...I want to be a Maroon. But...it takes some effort on the part of others. I can write and publish these books until my last days....people have to go out, and support my work. Really....it's that fucking simple.
Yeah.....this was a bit of a rant session.
Deal with it.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Seductra: Web of Desire [PAPERBACK VERSION]
IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!! :-)
They FINALLY accepted my cover files, and Seductra: Web of Desire is now published as a paperback! It's took a while, and a lot of frustration, but the book is FINALLY available in paperback format! Book number EIGHT is now available.
"Dasha Pagan is a talented and trained dancer, born & raised from Brooklyn NY. Thoroughly disillusioned with the state of the commercial dance scene, and the music industry in general, she relocates down south to Cerverville City, North Carolina.
After her initial relocation, reality soon hits her, and her struggles begin. After losing her job, and becoming desperate to make ends meet, she takes on a job dancing at a local gentelman's club , going by the name "Seductra". It is there that she meets Marley "Scowl" Winston.
Will she get herself caught up in the dark side of the business, or will she be able to escape this life, and find true love with Marley?"
Printed through CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/7143256
Grab your copy today!!! Please help to spread the word, and continue to support!!!
They FINALLY accepted my cover files, and Seductra: Web of Desire is now published as a paperback! It's took a while, and a lot of frustration, but the book is FINALLY available in paperback format! Book number EIGHT is now available.
"Dasha Pagan is a talented and trained dancer, born & raised from Brooklyn NY. Thoroughly disillusioned with the state of the commercial dance scene, and the music industry in general, she relocates down south to Cerverville City, North Carolina.
After her initial relocation, reality soon hits her, and her struggles begin. After losing her job, and becoming desperate to make ends meet, she takes on a job dancing at a local gentelman's club , going by the name "Seductra". It is there that she meets Marley "Scowl" Winston.
Will she get herself caught up in the dark side of the business, or will she be able to escape this life, and find true love with Marley?"
Printed through CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/7143256
Grab your copy today!!! Please help to spread the word, and continue to support!!!
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
The Day Job Grind, Part III: #TheTransplantChronicles7
So, where was I....?
Oh yeah, I've been working at my new job, which is now my primary job. I work food service at a local hotel out here in Delaware. Basically, I'm a glorified dishwasher (and unofficial kitchen gofer). The job isn't bad at all; I have unlimited access to food, which I love, considering how I've been starving for the last 2-3 years. It's a pretty easy job since the kitchen isn't very fast paced; only when we have events going on, and a high occupancy rate. I actually like the job.
Other than that, things are going pretty well. I'm STILL trying to publish "Seductra" as a paperback, but CreateSpace keeps fucking with me, ab out my file size. They keep sending me emails back that there is not enough bleed space for the cover. How much mf bleed space do you mf need?!?!?!? Publish the gd book already!!!!!! It is still available as an eBook, but still....I would like to have the paperback as well.
Speaking of which...I would love to see "Seductra: Web of Deisre" and "Demure Nights" air on late night CineMax. As it is, they were both originally supposed to be screenplays, anyway. Also, "Seductra" was actually inspired by me watching CineMax late at night. Hey....Black and Brown folk can be freaky, but classy, too! Who knows...if I ever get the support for those books, I actually might get an offer like that, sometime in the distant future.
Other than that, I'm just trying to figure out my next move. I need to decide if I'm going to focus on another literary project, or hang back for now, and concentrate purely on promoting my current works. I have to admit, it is quite frustrating to have projects available for sale, but have absolutely NO support for your work. All I have is people giving me lip service on social media, talking about how much they support me. How many of them actually owns a copy of my book titles...? THAT remains to be seen, smdh.....
I'm hoping to up my internet usage. Right now, I'm only able to get online once, maybe twice a week. I'm used to being online more often than that. It would also help me to get over this crap with CreateSpace, as far as publishing "Seductra: Web of Desire" as a blasted paperback. Only time will tell. Stay tuned, and keep following me!!!
Stay tuned.....
Oh yeah, I've been working at my new job, which is now my primary job. I work food service at a local hotel out here in Delaware. Basically, I'm a glorified dishwasher (and unofficial kitchen gofer). The job isn't bad at all; I have unlimited access to food, which I love, considering how I've been starving for the last 2-3 years. It's a pretty easy job since the kitchen isn't very fast paced; only when we have events going on, and a high occupancy rate. I actually like the job.
Other than that, things are going pretty well. I'm STILL trying to publish "Seductra" as a paperback, but CreateSpace keeps fucking with me, ab out my file size. They keep sending me emails back that there is not enough bleed space for the cover. How much mf bleed space do you mf need?!?!?!? Publish the gd book already!!!!!! It is still available as an eBook, but still....I would like to have the paperback as well.
Speaking of which...I would love to see "Seductra: Web of Deisre" and "Demure Nights" air on late night CineMax. As it is, they were both originally supposed to be screenplays, anyway. Also, "Seductra" was actually inspired by me watching CineMax late at night. Hey....Black and Brown folk can be freaky, but classy, too! Who knows...if I ever get the support for those books, I actually might get an offer like that, sometime in the distant future.
Other than that, I'm just trying to figure out my next move. I need to decide if I'm going to focus on another literary project, or hang back for now, and concentrate purely on promoting my current works. I have to admit, it is quite frustrating to have projects available for sale, but have absolutely NO support for your work. All I have is people giving me lip service on social media, talking about how much they support me. How many of them actually owns a copy of my book titles...? THAT remains to be seen, smdh.....
I'm hoping to up my internet usage. Right now, I'm only able to get online once, maybe twice a week. I'm used to being online more often than that. It would also help me to get over this crap with CreateSpace, as far as publishing "Seductra: Web of Desire" as a blasted paperback. Only time will tell. Stay tuned, and keep following me!!!
Stay tuned.....
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
The Day Job Grind, Part 2: #TheTransplantChronicles6
Been a long time, hasn't it....?
Been offline for a while. I was actually working TWO day jobs, and trying to juggle them both. I did that for about three weeks, and finally said "ENOUGH". I was practically a walking zombie, I got so little sleep. My days off didn't sync up until maybe a week ago, and I completely crashed when I did finally get a day off from both places. Needless to say, that was a HARD ROAD for me to walk.
For an update, I finally got rid of one of the two jobs; the low-end retail job that I started off with. That job sucked ass, and I thoroughly hated it. It wasn't worth keeping; not with the headache that they expected us to put up with. Not to mention the fact that they were switching to a bi-weekly payment plan...? Fuuuuuuuuck thaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!! NOT worth it. My second job is MUCH better, and less stressful. I'm back working in food service again, so I have access to food again. It keeps a good amount of money in my pocket, so the only thing I really have to worry about is having breakfast stuff for the mornings that I'm not working.
Got me a room to live in. The landlord is a character, though. I'll just leave it at that, for now. The roommates aren't too bad; one is actually pretty cool. The other guy...? I don't know. At least I have a place to lay my head. It's better than that bullshit shelter that I was staying at. I can come and go as I please, and have my own space. It's just for know; hopefully I can get my own spot before the year is out. So far, the Creator and the ancestors have been on my side so far. Hopefully, they'll allow me to have my own spot before the year is out.
Still trying to convert "Seductra" into a paperback. I haven't had any time (or luck) with the cover file. Hopefully, I can FINALLY get the cover files right, so that it can be printed up as a paperback. Now that I'm down to only one job, I'll have the time to get online, and upload the files, or handle any other issues that I have to deal with.
Still working on the Summer Schedule of Events (SoE) listing for the Universal Africana Literary Arts Movement. I'm finally able to play catch-up on my emails, and do some online research for other festivals. Looking forward to updating the list, and researching other festival that will be going on this fall.
Now that "Seductra" is published, I'm considering my options. I need to focus on the promotional front of my writing career; people need to know that my books are available, in order to financially support me. I want to focus on doing festival, and speaking engagements. I'm considering doing a book signing out here, but I need to build myself up a bit more; gain some name recognition out here. At least I have some of my works stocked in a few places on consignment out here. It's coming together slowly, but surly.
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep you guys updated on my latest ventures. I'll try not to go on hiatus again; it all depends on my personal situation. Things have already improved for me, considering how things were going for me last year (shit...try the last THREE), and they can only go up from here. May the Creator and ancestors bless me with further good fortune.
Been offline for a while. I was actually working TWO day jobs, and trying to juggle them both. I did that for about three weeks, and finally said "ENOUGH". I was practically a walking zombie, I got so little sleep. My days off didn't sync up until maybe a week ago, and I completely crashed when I did finally get a day off from both places. Needless to say, that was a HARD ROAD for me to walk.
For an update, I finally got rid of one of the two jobs; the low-end retail job that I started off with. That job sucked ass, and I thoroughly hated it. It wasn't worth keeping; not with the headache that they expected us to put up with. Not to mention the fact that they were switching to a bi-weekly payment plan...? Fuuuuuuuuck thaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!! NOT worth it. My second job is MUCH better, and less stressful. I'm back working in food service again, so I have access to food again. It keeps a good amount of money in my pocket, so the only thing I really have to worry about is having breakfast stuff for the mornings that I'm not working.
Got me a room to live in. The landlord is a character, though. I'll just leave it at that, for now. The roommates aren't too bad; one is actually pretty cool. The other guy...? I don't know. At least I have a place to lay my head. It's better than that bullshit shelter that I was staying at. I can come and go as I please, and have my own space. It's just for know; hopefully I can get my own spot before the year is out. So far, the Creator and the ancestors have been on my side so far. Hopefully, they'll allow me to have my own spot before the year is out.
Still trying to convert "Seductra" into a paperback. I haven't had any time (or luck) with the cover file. Hopefully, I can FINALLY get the cover files right, so that it can be printed up as a paperback. Now that I'm down to only one job, I'll have the time to get online, and upload the files, or handle any other issues that I have to deal with.
Still working on the Summer Schedule of Events (SoE) listing for the Universal Africana Literary Arts Movement. I'm finally able to play catch-up on my emails, and do some online research for other festivals. Looking forward to updating the list, and researching other festival that will be going on this fall.
Now that "Seductra" is published, I'm considering my options. I need to focus on the promotional front of my writing career; people need to know that my books are available, in order to financially support me. I want to focus on doing festival, and speaking engagements. I'm considering doing a book signing out here, but I need to build myself up a bit more; gain some name recognition out here. At least I have some of my works stocked in a few places on consignment out here. It's coming together slowly, but surly.
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep you guys updated on my latest ventures. I'll try not to go on hiatus again; it all depends on my personal situation. Things have already improved for me, considering how things were going for me last year (shit...try the last THREE), and they can only go up from here. May the Creator and ancestors bless me with further good fortune.
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