self-publishing

Strength In Numbers

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CALL ME CRAZY, BUT …

For the past three months, my third novel, The Custer Conspiracy, has been circulating among the NY Literati looking for an agent. To date, I have received five requests to see the entire manuscript seeded between thirty-three outright rejections.

Even though I think The Custer Conspiracy is worthy of a mainstream publishing house, I’m not surprised at the level of disinterest. I understand the book business pretty well (I think), and can appreciate the pressures the agent class is under when trying to select books the ordinary reader (you and me) will be allowed to read. Continue reading

On June 25, 1876, George Custer was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Or was he?

Tombstone of George Custer's brother
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** Image above is tombstone of Custer’s brother, Tom.

One hundred forty years ago, on June 25th, 1876 , Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and 210 troopers under his command were wiped out fighting the Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne at the Little Bighorn valley in southeastern Montana. To this day, the Battle of the Little Bighorn remains one of the most studied, publicized and controversial battles in American history.

Two years ago, on the anniversary of the battle, I stood on that hallowed ground. Continue reading

The Holy Grail of the Discoverability Process

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The real “social media” at work.

“DISCOVERABILITY” – the bane of all Indie writers. If you are (or were) like me, you spent a lot of time thinking, planning, plotting about how to get “discovered”. On the one hand, it looks so easy. I mean, if 50 Shades of Grey can do it, so can you. Right?

Ummm …. NO! Continue reading

Was 2014 a Successful Year for You?

Gas Prices Drop
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Got to tell you … no matter what else happened in 2014, that I could fill my car with gas that cost $1.75 per gallon (OK, OK …I had some “cents-off coupons”, but still …) qualifies it as a great year, no matter what else happened.

But I jest … sort of.

We all have our own definition of “success”. Since this is a blog about writing, I want to focus on that. But first, allow me to put into perspective the really important things in life: Continue reading