If you are reading this, you have found your way to my new blog. Welcome. I hope to update this one at least once a week, but with life, kids and work, who knows.

It has been five years since Under Abnormal Conditions was published. I still can’t believe that much time has passed. I have a bit of a dilemma. I’ve got three completed manuscripts collecting dust on the bookshelves, but still no agent or publisher. I probably haven’t exhausted all of my possible resources, but stamps, paper and ink cost money. Once you send a query package away, there is no guarantee that an agent will bite. Money thrown away. While some agents will accept e-queries, most do not. The ones that do accept emails, usually only reply if they interested in the project. One agent who did ask to read the book said that it was very polished but not striking hard enough magic with him. I’m still trying to figure out that comment. Anyway, either I can start sending out query package/emails or I can self publish.

If I self publish, I can control the cost of the book. The biggest problem with my last book was trying to convince people to spend $20.00 on a 177-page book. Tough sell, I don’t care how good it is. I will also have to do the cover art and have it edited, so the cost may end up shooting out of range if I’m not careful. Now on the other hand, I know that this book is better than the first. If I can keep the cost to $10-12.00, I can sell a lot more book and get my name back out there. I am also better prepared for the marketing and promotions aspects. That brings up another problem. How am I going to have the time to do all this? I barely have time to write now, so how am I going to launch a book campaign with virtually no help?

Do I go back to the traditional route?

Do I self-publish?

I don’t want to end up sitting here ten years from now having the same doubts and questions. I want to do something, but I don’t want to make a mistake and set my writing career in reverse. If I had known then what I know now, I would have never signed my first book deal. I was just so excited that I was going to be published that I would have signed anything put in front of me. Now in February and August of every year since 2003, I get a royalty check for maybe $2.00.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve starting writing a hardcore, gritty thriller about a detective with a secret addiction and romance featuring a frustrated writer. Let me know if anyone wants a preview.