When I got home last week, I got to hold an actual copy of The Green Lady in my hands! I almost fainted with delight. A real live book with my name on it.

I received my proof copy from Amazon and seeing my work and my name in print was a heady experience. You can almost pre-order the paperback version of The Green Lady on Amazon! I expect it to go live in the next 24-48 hours. There was a small issue with my cover which my designer is fixing. But I will share a link as soon as its ready. I hope you will take pick up a copy and leave a review if you enjoy the read.

The next step in this whole publishing process is the promotional work. I do have marketing and pr experience, so I have that going for me. I am also really lucky to have a very talented social media guru for a friend who is helping me with that part. But now it’s time to work on getting the word out locally. I’m curious to know what ways fellow writers get the word out about their work in their own home towns/cities. Please feel free to share!

A number of writers I know are very shy and uncomfortable talking about themselves and their work. This is (fortunately or unfortunately) not a problem that I have. I’m a bit loud and I’m not afraid of talking about myself…in fact growing up and sometimes still today I get told by family that I talk about myself too much…OOPS! It’s a minor character flaw… 😛 Regardless, it works in my favor in this instance.

On my to-do list is talking to local bookstores about carrying my book on their shelves. My friend and fellow author J.R. Boles has her books on the shelf at Reader’s World, a local bookshop in Lee’s Summit, MO. I plan to approach them, as well as Prospero’s and any number of others in the area. I’m even prepared to drive to Lawrence if they’ll take my work!

One interesting opportunity that I have come across thanks to a friend and fellow artist is speaking at an event on August 7 called Get Lit put on by the Blue Monday Review, a local literary magazine. The event is open to anyone who is interested in the of world building. This is a great chance to not only share my experiences with others, but it also gives me the chance to network and mingle with other local writers/artists. It’s also a great opportunity to brush up on my public speaking skills. And world building is a topic of great importance in every project no matter the genre. You just might do a little more or less, depending on the time period and the situation you are dealing with in your story. If you’re local and want to check out the event, here are the details. You can also purchase your ticket there too.

Luckily in this day and age, it’s really easy to get your work out there and broadcast it to the world. Social media has definitely been my friend, as has this blog. Next up, it’s time to plan my book party! I’m only doing this for the first publication as a special celebration with family and friends. Book number two won’t get this same treatment. If you would like to connect with me on twitter, you can find me @writervsworld.