September 14th. 2019
Monday began with a trip to the
haematologist for Pat’s pre-chemo consultation. I was quite nervous about this
because she had only just been discharged from hospital after her mini-stroke.
The haematologist decided, after having a good look at the various scans, X-rays
and blood tests, that it would be safer for Pat to have a break from the chemo.
He was happy with the progress she has made so far, and saw no reason why he
couldn’t give her a chance to get stronger. I was happy with that. It’s too
early for me to say Pat is healing and getting her mind back, but a couple of
days ago we went through the Jack & Jill nursery rhyme. I had to help her
with each line. The following morning I asked her if she could remember it and
she recited it without a problem. I was really excited for her because it gave
an indication that her brain is healing. I need to get her a bit heavier though
because she lost weight while she was in dock.
I’ve tried to squeeze some literary
work in while coping with Pat and the jobs around the house and garden. I had a
look at my pulp fiction WIP. I managed a few lines, but not enough to say I’m
making brilliant progress. I’ve got my main character into Russia, he’s on a
bus two thousand miles from Moscow and heading for the Siberian Peninsular.
What he witnesses on the bus is the key to the next step in the story in which
my character shows his remarkable guile, cunning and extreme fighting skills.
Well, it is a pulp fiction thriller, so I must not let detail and facts get in
the way of the action. Right? The character’s name, by the way, is Martin Quil,
from a work of fiction I conjured up sixty years ago and resurrected in my pulp
fiction thriller this year called Hunted. He’s a clever lad; has all the
skills I can invent, and he speaks fluent colloquial Russian. Now, where could
you find a hero like that? Only in Hunted — the Sequel. Ta Da!
My campaign on Amazon Ads sucks at
the moment. Having put up three ads according to Bryan Cohen’s instructions, I
have sold precisely none. The advice I have received is that the data with AMS
can take up to six or seven days to filter through, I have to be patient and if
nothing else happens, I have to increase my budget. All seems a bit too simple
to me, which is probably why I’m getting nowhere, but I will stick with it;
after all, I’ve paid Mr. Cohen for his expert advice. I had hoped that the new
book jacket, which was designed by top man, Stuart Bache, would be enough to
draw the clicks and opens like moths to a flame, but that doesn’t seem to be
happening either.
Another small string to my bow (if
that’s the right thing to say) is having my book, Hell’s Gate with Voracious
Readers. I am picking up at least two subscribers a day which means new
readers. The system allows me to have as many books on offer (free of course)
to encourage readers to subscribe. Eventually, depending on how many ‘clicks’ I
get, I will have to pay a small, monthly subscription. It’s voluntary,
naturally, and I can pull out any time. This should help the organic growth and
lead to more sales. Hope so.
Looking ahead (well ahead), the tickets
for Mark Dawson’s SPS show next year was so over-subscribed that he has had to
find another venue. Fortunately he has and the numbers expecting to attend will
be over 700. It will be called SPS (Self-Publishing Show) Live. You don’t have
to be a member of Mark’s group now because there’s enough room for everybody.
It happens to be the day before the London Book Fair opens, so quite a few of
the SPF crowd will be staying on for that too. If Pat is fully recovered by
then, I might be tempted to stay over, but at the moment I suspect I’ll just take
in the SPS event.
I managed to get some garden time in
this morning and took the shears and hedge trimmer to much of the stuff that’s
taking over. Pat would be horrified if she knew what was in my mind, but as the
poor girl can’t do it, I have to make the decisions. Such power. Whatever next?
Wish me luck.
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