Happy Publication Day to Blood River! 🥳

It's finally out into the world, Blood River, the third book in Tricky's Tales, and the finale to this little three book triology and storyline. 

Tricky is such an easy character to write. Her words flow out easily as I hear her voice in my head, and I love everything about her and her world. And there is still plenty to discover. I'm confident there's more from Tricky - besides the two short tales I have planned, but for now I am working on a few non-fiction related projects, while I gestate on a couple of darker novels. 

This book is my tenth fiction book (and my fifth novel), and I don't tire of writing fiction, if anything more and more ideas are filling my head. I wish for many things, including a massive Tricky fan base, which maybe one day would lead to a film or series in her world, which I might hopefully be involved in creating. But I also am busy with my non-fiction writing as I have two books and a short exclusive in the works, along with a course. I also have a couple of writing-related books to produce for self-published authors, but there just seems to be less and less time in the day. 

And all the while I am studying and reading. I am enjoying the proofreading course I am doing, as it is already impacting my own writing as I start using some of the methods I am learning and noting things in my writing. It will bring an accreditation recognised by publishing houses in the UK, but I don't see my career going that way. I just wanted to prove to myself I can be an expert in something. 

When I started out as a self-published author, I was unsure about my decision, though I didn't want to jump the many hoops that publishing houses or agents set, or be told to change my ideas and rewrite my books to satisify some niche they have decided it needs to fit into. I write across genres because that's what I write and I don't want to be boxed in by a market, one that is unlikely to pay me much. Or my book judged by one person to be deemed worthy, which really just means sellable.

I have also watched others get deals and either end up disappointed or see their writing become more and more vacuous as they struggle to deliver a 'marketable' book. In fact being part of a local bookclub and seeing them pick the 'bestseller-listed', 'latest literary sensation' has made me definitely turn away from traditional publishing. As I read these books, I wonder how they were picked up in the first place, because I can name at least ten books by my self-published friends that are ten times better. 

But the problem is that they're 'self-published', and that is a no-no to most readers because that's what they have been told by the press and the publishing houses. The biggest lie is that there is no rift between the two: self-published and traditionally published, but there is. For me it has been seeing friends get deals with big publishers, friends that used to be supportive and interested in my books and writing, but then suddenly stop. And even though you still share and promote their books, they never return the favour, because they don't dain to be seen to promote or help a self-published author, especially if they don't write in the same genre - that'll look bad on their social media feeds. It can be quite heart-breaking. 

So for all those reasons, and the lack of transparency in the publishing industry and their authors who daren't be honest about anything they experience, pretending it's a bed of roses, for fear of losing their deal, I have really settled into being a self-published author. I don't expect much money from it - if any - but I live in hope of someone with a large following raving about one of my books and making some sales. And really I just want people to enjoy the books I write, I don't need them to win awards, or spend my life touring places to try to get them visible - the best way to have your book marketed is by word of mouth. (I say this, but I spend a small fortune on marketing. It costs an arm and a leg to give your book away for free - I kid you not).

So that's my current view on being a self-published author. I say current because you never know what might change. And that's the fun about being self-published - you have unlimited opportunities.

And if you are still reading, thanks for taking the time. And if you are a reader of my books, and/or a lover of Tricky, please do leave a review. The more people that do, the more likely more readers will pick up one of my books! 

The Landmass - Tricky's World