It’s been a while. The reason for not blogging for so long isn’t because I don’t have anything to report, it’s actually the opposite. So much seems to be happening so fast that I’ve felt a bit overwhelmed.
So let me catch you up in bullet points.
- We got home from Mexico after a three month stay at the beginning of April.
- Jordan and Chelsea, after a tumultuous year (click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about), finally had their Wedding reception party – so fun! Following that was a family reunion on my father’s side.
- My shoulder pain kept getting worse – turns out I need a full shoulder replacement! Advanced osteoarthritis with two serious rotator cuff tears. It will probably be several months before this can happen, so I’m using my non-dominant hand a lot more, even playing left-handed pickleball.
- I’ve taken up bass guitar, lol. Something I can do, despite my shoulder issue. Norm and I have started a folk duo called Mr.& Mrs. Strauss. If you’re interesting is hearing us play our version of Paperback Writer, click here.
- News about Amazon and pricing. Inflation is kicking us in the butt everywhere, including Amazon for both authors and readers. Print pricing has gone up which has forced many authors, including me, to raise prices on paperback books. I try to keep my prices as low as possible, but I still need to make a little something, which at the moment is closer to the $1 dollar per book than the usual $2.00 per book (which still isn’t very much.) Which leads me to the next point.
- Independent publishing has gone through a lot of changes since it first became an option for authors in 2010 with the advent of Kindle. A new opportunity has risen with Shopify coming onto the scene, making it possible for artists and creators to sell their products directly to their customers. This allows the creator to have more control with pricing, and also what they can offer in terms of specialty products and discounts. As you can see from the previous point, the retailers keep a lot of the profit. Having complete dependence on the whims of any given retailer is also not a great business practice as a single wrong move by a bot can destroy an author’s hard work and earnings in a moment. I’m not being dramatic here. This has happened to authors more often than I’m comfortable with seeing. All this to say, I am working on setting up a sell-to-readers-directly option (don’t worry, you’ll still be able to buy on Amazon if you wish, but also some of my books will become available on other retailers as well). I hope to have launched by the end of summer, so stay tuned!
- I'm working on a very cool Special Edition book that I know you’ll love. It’s too early to say more but keep watch.
Whew! That’s a lot. I’m going to try to blog more often and stay on top of the news. My next blog will be a poll to let me know what kind of content you’d like to see here. See you then.
Sorry to hear about your shoulder, but it doesn’t seem to have slowed you down, Looking forward to more books.
Thank you for your update. I am still catching up myself on your books. I had been busy myself with work, but with a fall resulting in a broken wrist, I have been doing a lot of reading especially audio books. Congratulations on your son’s marriage to the love of his life. I pray his bride has fought the battle well and onto the next chapter of life! I am a cancer survivor myself, so best wishes and prayers to your daughter-in-law!
Thank you! Love hearing from cancer survivors – such great news!
Sending prayers and hopes for a speedy and complete recovery. You have a LOT of people hoping for the same.
Thank you!
I have heard about the bot problems from other authors. It seems very frustrating to have no control or recourse. Looking forward to seeing your new store. So sorry to hear about your shoulder. First time I’ve heard of a shoulder replacement. Once all is said and done, I’m sure you’ll be happy you went through the ordeal. I have bursitis in my shoulder, so I know that pain in that area is not fun. I’ve also had back surgery and no that recovery is no fun either, but the benefits are worth it. Hang in there, enjoy your music and your kids!
Sorry to hear about your health and pain issues. You’re right, it isn’t fun. But, to keep a positive spin, at least it’s not life threatening. Thanks for commenting!
I just now am recovering from reverse shoulder replacement this month , due to a bad fall, so you have my sympathy. Thank you for explaining about the cost of the books. You have had a rough year. God Bless you
Bless you, too, and I wish you a speedy recovery!
Good luck with your surgery!
And I Want you to make a profit so that you can afford to keep writing your books that I love So much!! However I can support that is great with me!
Your support means so much!
So happy your son and wife have had a celebration reception recently. Sounds like it was so much fun!
I am sorry to hear about your shoulder and wrist, etc. You are being very brave about it, and I do hope that you will keep us up on your progress after surgery. Very much enjoyed “Paperback Writer.” You are a great duo! I hope that the direct-to-buyers works out very well…and I will look forward to getting your paperbacks wherever they are offered that are best for you!
Thank you for all your encouraging words!
The wedding was a fairytale with a very happy ending. Thoroughly enjoyed your rendition of “Paperback Writer”. Beautiful voices.
We are delighted with the fairytale ending. So glad to hear you enjoyed the song!