Shortly after completing my manuscript for Wormwood, I had a rude awakening. Being an author, I realized, involved so much more work than simply crafting a story—that is, if said author intends to sell any books. As I slowly started to scrounge up a minor internet presence, I saw myself shift through a variety of emotions. Time that I would have spent writing, revising or sleeping was now being consumed by my work on the internet. And because much of my time was spent learning the ropes, I made very little progress at first. In those first few months, as so many things in my life sat neglected, I began to resent the need to market my book. I even—I hate to admit it—considered shelving my manuscript permanently, just so I could walk away from it all.
Then, slowly, things began to change. There was a growing number of people that showed an honest appreciation for Wormwood, and my “Publish Wormwood” Facebook group eventually grew to over 700 members. I started to get followers on Twitter, too. But one of the biggest benefits of this time spent on the internet became clear to me a few months ago. The greatest advantage, I noticed, is that social media has connected me to people that I never would have met otherwise—wonderful, interesting human beings that frequently bring a smile to my face, teach me, mentor me and humble me. From the beautiful music of Dreaming in Waves to the wisdom shared by Les Floyd, I count myself fortunate to have connected with so many incredible, talented people. When measured against the people with whom I’ve connected, none of my time on the internet has been in vain.
Recently, I had the privilege of connecting with a very gifted author. Kelly R. Martin, of Myth/Logic Press, has granted me the great honour of reading a section of his latest book, THOMAS THE POISONER. I took him up on his offer and I’m not sorry I did so. I enjoyed it so much; it prompted the writing of this post.
To quickly sum up what I’ve read (and not do it justice at all, I’m afraid), this creative fantasy is complete with elves, dwarves and spirit-spawned beasts, delivered in a style that makes the reader feel like they’re listening to a storyteller share an old tale. Mr. Martin’s confident writing style immediately drew me into his vivid, fantastical world. His characters are not only well-rounded and likeable, they are also believable. For those reading this post, I highly recommend you check out his website or Barnes & Noble listing, if Thomas the Poisoner sounds like your kind of book.
As for other people I’ve been lucky enough to connect to, I wanted to say this: if you are a Twitter follower, member of my Facebook group or an internet friend of any type, I wish to thank you. You have been the silver lining that I’ve previously failed to see. Thank you for sharing your friendship, your artistic gifts, your knowledge and your wisdom with me.
Then, slowly, things began to change. There was a growing number of people that showed an honest appreciation for Wormwood, and my “Publish Wormwood” Facebook group eventually grew to over 700 members. I started to get followers on Twitter, too. But one of the biggest benefits of this time spent on the internet became clear to me a few months ago. The greatest advantage, I noticed, is that social media has connected me to people that I never would have met otherwise—wonderful, interesting human beings that frequently bring a smile to my face, teach me, mentor me and humble me. From the beautiful music of Dreaming in Waves to the wisdom shared by Les Floyd, I count myself fortunate to have connected with so many incredible, talented people. When measured against the people with whom I’ve connected, none of my time on the internet has been in vain.
Recently, I had the privilege of connecting with a very gifted author. Kelly R. Martin, of Myth/Logic Press, has granted me the great honour of reading a section of his latest book, THOMAS THE POISONER. I took him up on his offer and I’m not sorry I did so. I enjoyed it so much; it prompted the writing of this post.
To quickly sum up what I’ve read (and not do it justice at all, I’m afraid), this creative fantasy is complete with elves, dwarves and spirit-spawned beasts, delivered in a style that makes the reader feel like they’re listening to a storyteller share an old tale. Mr. Martin’s confident writing style immediately drew me into his vivid, fantastical world. His characters are not only well-rounded and likeable, they are also believable. For those reading this post, I highly recommend you check out his website or Barnes & Noble listing, if Thomas the Poisoner sounds like your kind of book.
As for other people I’ve been lucky enough to connect to, I wanted to say this: if you are a Twitter follower, member of my Facebook group or an internet friend of any type, I wish to thank you. You have been the silver lining that I’ve previously failed to see. Thank you for sharing your friendship, your artistic gifts, your knowledge and your wisdom with me.
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