Dec 19 2011

2012 is going to be a fantastic year!

I know, I know, it’s been an age since I last wrote, things have been beyond busy, I published The Doorway to PAM and launched it on the 4th December, and I’ve still been working, shopping for Christmas, editing etc etc! But I am hereby making a resolution right now to write at least once a week, about my self-publishing adventures, of which there are many! And the lessons I have learnt, in the hopes I save you all a little time and hassle!

Just to remind everyone that you can follow me on Twitter – themiraclemuse and ‘like’ my facebook page – Michelle Gordon – Author.

The Doorway to PAM is available on Kindle and Amazon.

Well, the plan for 2012 is to publish two novels, The Earth Angel Awakening and The Elphite. Do as many launches as possible, and also start up a business editing and formatting self-published books.

Not much then really!! I’ll also try to mention any tips here that I pick up along the way – my tip for today is this – if you are thinking of self-publishing your book, do not under any circumstances use a company who asks for lots of money, promises a lot, takes away your publishing rights and delivers very little in return. If you are self-publishing, you should retain all the rights, and if you need to pay someone to edit and proofread, it should be fairly reasonable. It doesn’t actually cost anything to publish the book, on Print on Demand or as an ebook.

Well, I’m going to sign off for today, I promise to be back soon!

Jul 24 2011

The last six months – January

Okay, it’s taken me a little time, but here is the first column that I wrote for the Newbie Writers Newsletter, about my self-publishing journey. Hope you enjoy!

I’ve wanted to be an author since I was about eight years old, and I’m finally now taking the necessary steps to make that dream a reality. Though I’ve been writing for years, it was only in 2009 that I finally wrote a full-length novel, using the technique devised by Chris Baty, founder of Nanowrimo and author of “No Plot? No Problem!”. Since then I have written another two and a half novels, all in various stages of progress. Despite wanting to be an author more than anything, I’ve found it difficult to motivate myself to actually get my book edited to perfection (or something near) and published, so I decided that in 2011 I would make myself accountable to someone, in order to make it happen. This is where you come in.

I started a blog, called “Confessions of a Self-Published Author”, where I have been writing about my progress with getting my novel out there into the world. There’s nothing like having all of your friends and relatives (not to mention plenty of strangers) read your blog and hassle you every now and then to “just get on with it”. So far, it’s working well, I am currently in the midst of another massive edit of the novel, and am finding that I need to make not only a few spelling and grammar edits, but also change entire scenes that don’t actually work!

I suppose it may well be a good thing that I have waited until now to properly pursue my dream of being an author, it is certainly a whole different ballgame these days. In the past, self-publishing had a stigma attached to it, as it was usually associated with ‘vanity publishing’ whereby you paid hundreds or even thousands to print your book, then you would end up with a garage-full of boxes of your novel that you would then have to sell. You can still publish in that way today, but why would you go to the expense now that Print on Demand exists? It’s the perfect way to publish, especially if, like me, you are not a particularly well-off writer. For no initial outlay, you can usually print a very professional copy of your book for just a few pounds, and it will be available to buy online, and the price that you set not only covers manufacturing costs and fees, but could even give you a nice little royalty. So, self-publishing using POD, certainly to me, seems like the way to go. I also like that fact that you can easily upload your novel to be available on the Kindle, which is something else that I will be looking into once my novel is ready for publication.

Which brings me to my plan of action, which has also been a bit of a work in progress, seeing as I started this journey with no plan at all. The list of things that need to be done stand as follows:

Finish the final edit of the novel.
Design the cover
Get reviews for the back copy.
Write the back copy.
Write the Acknowledgements and dedications
Compile a bibliography of any books I have found inspiring of helpful, and also for any quotes used in the novel.
Use social networking sites and websites related to the subject matter of my novel to drum up some interest in it before it is published.
Build a website for the novel.

The other thing I have been considering doing is a trailer for my novel. It seems to be quite a popular thing to do these days, having a book trailer, and I would really enjoy the challenge of putting one together. The main problem will be finding the time to do it! As well as having a challenging full time job, writing books and self-publishing, I also have many hobbies which I’m trying to fit in, all the while still doing everyday things like food shopping! It does seem that the busier I get, the more I get done, but my mind still boggles when I try to figure out exactly how to get everything organised and completed.

Before I sign off and get some very much needed sleep, I thought it would be a good idea to give an idea of what my novel is about, and then a short excerpt from the novel itself.

The title is: The Earth Angel Training Academy. It’s based on the other side, in an Academy for beings from all different realms. There are Angels, Old Souls, Faeries, Mermaids and Starpeople. They go to the Academy to learn how to become human, so they can go to Earth and help with the Awakening. The novel follows several of the characters as they experience the final term of the Earth Angel Training Academy. Anyone who has read any of Doreen Virtue’s books will understand the term Earth Angels, and maybe even know which realm they themselves are from!

“Wow! It’s so beautiful!”

Amethyst and the little green Faerie gazed around their room in awe.

The spacious room was bright and airy. There were three huge beds dotted around,

draped in beautiful linens. There was a notice board on the wall that had a large

sign on it.

“Welcome new students! I hope your room is everything that you desire.

To change the décor, simply touch the item and state your desire.

To manifest anything, just speak your request out loud, three times.

If there are any problems, questions or concerns, write them down on

this board and they will be dealt with. We will be reconvening in the

main hall later on today. See you there! Velvet.”

The Faerie’s eyes widened. “We just touch things, and they change?

I’ve gotta try this!” She flew over to the nearest bed and touched the

sheets. “Green!” Instantly, the sheets turned the colour of spring grass.

The Faerie squealed in delight, and started zooming around the room,

touching things and yelling out colours and patterns, until the room

looked like the inside of a kaleidoscope.

Amethyst looked around, amusement showing on her face. “Hmm,”

she said. “I may just change a few things around my bed, if that’s

okay with you?”

The Faerie was bouncing up and down on her bed. “Okay!”

The Angel went to the bed opposite and touched the sheets.

“Amethyst,” she said. Instantly the sheets turned a shimmering

lilac colour. The Angel nodded happily. She touched the wall behind

her and said: “A meadow on a breezy summer’s day.” The wall took

on the appearance of a meadow, with a bright blue sky, lazy clouds

drifting along, wildflowers in bright colours and the long grass swaying

in an unfelt breeze.

“Ooh!” the Faerie said. “That’s so beautiful! I’m going to try!” She

flew to her wall and touched it. “A lawn from a Faerie’s point of view.”

Giant blades of grass appeared, a huge ladybug crawled slowly up one

of them, and a massive ant ambled past. The Faerie flew around in circles.

“It’s so life-like! It feels like I’m back home again!” She stroked the moving

image of the ladybug. “I wonder how Larry is,” she muttered to herself.

Happy New Year!

It’s weird to look back at where I was six months ago, it seems like both five minutes ago and a lifetime ago. But apart from number three on my plan, I did actually achieve what I set out to do six months ago. Which is pretty amazing for me! I will post February’s column soon!

Jul 12 2011

Buy your copy now!

The Earth Angel Training Academy is now on sale!! It is available from Kindle on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Amazon.de – just search in the Kindle store for ‘Michelle Gordon’ and it will pop up!

I launched the novel at the Heart of the Dragon Festival in West Wales which was very cool, met lots of great people and dragons! Sold a few copies too 🙂

I’ve decided to post my column that I’ve been writing for the Newbie Writers e-newsletter here, I’ll try and post a column each day, starting tomorrow with January’s so you can see the process of how I published my book.

Looking forward to Friday, can’t believe it’s the last ever Harry Potter movie!

Jun 26 2011

Five days to go!

Well, it’s nearly the 1st July, and the official launch of my novel, but I must confess, I was so excited to receive the first order of them, that I just started selling them! Have sold twenty already and have already received some excellent feedback! Still a few typos, but considering I’ve found typos in traditionally published books, Im not going to worry about it too much! Anyway, in just five days time, the book will be available on Amazon, Kindle and Completely novel as well as directly from myself! Check back here in a few days for all the links!

Jun 7 2011

The proof is in the post!

It is done! My novel is finished! have ordered the proof copy and am impatiently waiting for it to arrive! (I apologise for all the exclamation marks, I am quite excited :))

It feels quite weird to finally be at this point, when wrote it in 2009 I didn’t think it would take me so long to publish it, but I believe that everything happens at the right time, so this must be the right time to publish it!

As a preview I have attached the cover of the book here, as designed by my Angel friend, Kelly Draper.

The book will be available on Amazon, and on Kindle, and from myself directly. Just post a comment if you would like more info.

May 28 2011

The end is nigh….

The wait is nearly over! In just a few weeks my novel will finally be available to buy! I am on the last edit, and the over is nearly done, will be ordering my proof copy soon! Then the real hard work begins…

I’m launching my novel at the Heart of the Dragon Festival in Newcastle Emlyn, West Wales, on th 2nd July 2011. It’s going to be a great event, I can’t wait to take my dragon there!

I’d better get back to the editing, just wanted to post a quick update, here’s the link to the dragon festival website if you want more info:

http://www.heartofthedragonwales.org/

See you there!

Apr 25 2011

It’s oh, so quiet…. shhhh….shhhh

What can I say? I’ve been enjoying this amazing weather we’ve been having in the UK, and I have been so very busy, but I have been quite quiet on here, it seems no matter how many times I tell myself I will blog regularly, things get in the way and conspire against me… or maybe it’s just that I love to procrastinate 🙂

I have made quite a lot of progress on the sequel, which I’m sure is of no interest to anyone yet, seeing as I haven’t got the first one out into the world yet, but it feels good to know that if anyone does happen to want to know what goes on after the first novel when they do get their hands on a copy, then they wont have to wait too long because I’m planning on getting it out there hopefully before the end of the year.

I’m feeling a little strange at the moment. A little like I’m in a weird kind of limbo. I’ve got a new job, which I’m impatient to start, I’m staying on at my old job to do the odd day here and there, I’ve got a million and one things to do, and yet I feel… antsy. I feel like I need to get out there and DO something. But I don’t know what, where or who with or why. I wish I didnt have to wait until I have paid off debts and saved up money to go travelling, I want to go now. I don’t want to keep editing my book, I want to publish it now. Hmm, I think I should cure this bout of impatientness (yes, I realise that’s probably not a word) by going into the bluebell woods and sitting in my favourite spot and doing some writing. Either that, or finding an old friend to meet up with, I need to do something…

Mar 27 2011

Choose your own reality!

Well, I spent an entire Sunday writing, and as a result, I finished a mini non-fiction book titled “Choose your own reality.” Within four days I edited it and published it.

(2014 Update: Choose Your Own Reality is now a bonus book that can be found at the end of The Doorway to PAM, which you can buy in paperback and on Kindle. It is also included in the Visionary Collection Kindle boxset)

It was quite an amazing feeling, sitting in the sunshine, writing while the birds chirped away. Definitely something I plan on doing more of in the near future.

As for my novel, I have just finished another edit, but plan on doing one more before publishing, and have a friend designing the cover, so will need to rendezvous with her on that, but it seems like everything is on track to publish by the 1st July. Might even be able to do it sooner, though I’d like to get the website up and running first. Just need to work out a marketing plan too, this is definitely one of my weak points, so I may need to enlist the help of some friends to get the word out about my novel.

Well, I’m having a very lazy sunday right now, so I think I’d better be useful and tackle the mountain of washing up!

Feb 7 2011

So this is what it would be like…

Well, I have the day off today, and I have spent it (once I managed to get up at 10am oops) editing my novel. Of course I have showered, eaten, done the washing up etc etc, but on the whole, I have been editing feverishly. And I am nearly there! I think, oh dear, maybe I shouldn’t put that, the last time I made such grand statements of nearing completion, I ended up doing a mammoth edit. But this time, it does feel as though I am getting closer. And that maybe I should have trusted my big sister and gone for a publishing date that’s a bit sooner. Well, it’s not set in stone, so maybe I will publish before the 1st of July.

It occurred to me earlier, that if I were to actually live my dream of being a full time writer one day, then it would be pretty much like today. I would be sat in the the sunlight, typing away, considering plot twists, playing with new ideas for charcters, and polishing my words until they’re shiny. I quite like it. I would obviously need to engage in some activities that would involve interaction with other people at some point, just so that I have things to write about, if nothing else. But this life of serenity and solitude is something that I think I would quite enjoy. Of course, to be a successful writer these days, you have to promote your book and sell yourself relentlessly, but I’m sure that there would be periods of time where it would just be me, my laptop and the endless sea of my imagination. Until that time when I can do this full time, I will just savour these moments, as they are my calm in the midst of the organised chaos that is my present life.

Feb 3 2011

The journey/quest/mission/craziness continues…

I must admit, it all went a bit quiet during January, well, in terms of publishing anyway, everything else has been super busy! I have written February’s column for the Newbie Writer’s Newsletter, just need to edit and send tonight, in time for the deadline. I’ve announced it there, so I will announce it here too – I have set a publishing/release date for my novel! It seems that I don’t get a whole lot done without a deadline, so here it is….. July 1st 2011! So mark it in your diaries everyone, that is when The Earth Angel Training Academy will be available to buy 🙂

Editing has ground to a slight halt, but thanks to a very talented friend of mine, the cover is steaming along! She has been tirelessly sketching designs for it, trying to match the idea in my head, which is not easy! But having read my novel now, she understands what it’s all about, and I’m hoping the final design will reflect that! So, I really should get my skates on and actually get the editing done, so that I am ready for my deadline. Though it seems quite far away now, time seems to be speeding by at the rate of knots, probably because in my job I have to plan everything months in advance! I’m currently planning April, so it’s no wonder I never know what day it is!

Well, time to get the column done and perhaps even some editing, along with the other million and one things on my to do list!