As you may know, I recently moved my weekly blog to Wednesdays — hoping to catch you in that mid-week slump, when two or three minutes away from real life might be just the ticket.
Truth be told? Last week’s numbers weren’t amazing. Not my worst ever, but definitely lower than a typical Friday post. Still, I’m telling myself it’s just early days — people need time to adjust to a new schedule. So here we are again!
🐾 A Week in the Life (and a Dog Named Bear)
✍️ Writing Update: Or Lack of One
I wish I could say I’ve been working on something new, but the truth is, I haven’t written much lately — at least nothing beyond this blog.
Book 4 is untouched. The prequel’s been quiet. But I did visit my ARC reader this week, and here’s the exciting bit — she loved Book 2! There are a few amendments to make, but it’s basically ready to go.
🛣️ The Crossroads: What Now?
That brings me to the reason for this blog: I’m standing at a publishing crossroads.
With a nearly-finished sequel on my hands, a whole set of questions has opened up…
With a nearly-finished sequel on my hands, a whole set of questions has opened up…
📚 The Publishing Path:
Same publisher, new one… or do it all myself?
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I really liked the publisher I worked with for An Irish Mystery. They were supportive, and I loved the final product — especially the cover.
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But part of me wonders: do I need more? Do I need someone who’ll help push this next book even further?
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Then again, full self-publishing via KDP is tempting too — if I could make it look just as polished. But that comes with a steep learning curve: formatting, typography, layout, metadata, ISBNs, and of course… the cover.
🕰️ Timing and Titles
If I could release it tomorrow, I would. But I’ve learned from the first book — rushing it out doesn't work.
This time I want to:
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Build more awareness before launch.
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Sell more of Book 1 to increase momentum.
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Put a little more into early reviews and outreach.
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Maybe even… settle on a final title! (Still bouncing a few around.)
This is where a publisher would help — guiding those final decisions. If I go fully indie, it's all on me. Rewarding, yes — but intense.
🎨 Cover Reveal
I have a few mock-ups, but nothing professionally finished yet. If I go the indie route, I’ll need to hire a cover designer (recommendations welcome!). I do know I want it to echo the style of An Irish Mystery — consistent branding matters.
Once I’ve got it? You can bet there’ll be a cover reveal on here and across social!
🏷️ We Have a Title!
📘 It All Comes Back to Book 1
Every decision I make now rests on how An Irish Mystery performs — and it's still early days.
I’ve sold copies. But not a ton. And while six reviews is a start, I was hoping for more by now — especially with only four showing on Amazon US.
Summer might change that. I know a lot of readers take books on holiday, and I’m hoping An Irish Mystery finds its way into more bags and beach chairs. With luck, I’ll start seeing more Goodreads and Amazon reviews roll in.
Other authors have told me that the real shift came with book 3 or 4 — once the series has depth. Apparently, readers love to binge. Right now, I’m binge-proof: I’ve only got one book out.
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