Publish or Perish: The Thursday Afternoon #MINI post, Edition #9

                                                                     
I have been getting a lot of questions lately about where I am in the publishing process right now (Ok, mostly from my mother, but still....) so I thought I would devote the #MINI to an update on my progress. Warning: I am feeling a strong desire for self-deprication, so if your stomach is a little queasy, you may want to skip to the end. (But please leave a comment anyway--good comments only, of course.)

> First things first, I do not have a book contract yet, but my ueber-agent, Liz Kracht, and I are working on it. Publishing is a slow business, and patience is not a virtue--it is a necessity. So I am practicing patience and humility (##gggrrrrr!) and Lord knows I need the practice.

>In the meantime, I am working on other projects and blogging. And I have to be honest; I started my blog because Liz 'suggested' that a blog might be a good way to build an audience, but I have found that I enjoy the process. Blogging--at least the way I do it--is quite a bit different than writing a novel, which tends to be anxiety provoking. If someone doesn't like my post (you know who you are) I just shrug my shoulders and move along. Contrast this to the gnashing of teeth and soul-searching that accompanies any kind of negativity towards my novel or short stories. I keep hoping that the thick skin that Peter Hogenkamp, Blogger has developed will rub off on Peter Hogenkamp, Author, but no luck thus far.

>As I just mentioned, I have been writing short stories and serial fiction. Most of the non-fiction short stories have been published in this blog, and you all have been kind enough to read them without too many complaints (and those were mostly from my family.) The serial fiction is something I have long wanted to do, and have just recently started. The idea goes back to the radio programs that were popular in the glory days of radio, such as The Shadow (The shadow knows....). I am not sure how other--more legitimate--approach this, but I write each approximately 800-word segment just prior to publishing it on WattPad and ReadWave. I am sure you could write the whole book and then publish it later, a segment at a time, but what fun would that be? If you haven't done so already, I would appreciate it if you would check out the first part of The Intern and let me know what you think. Also, as I mentioned above, I am trying to build an audience, so share the link if you made it through the 800-words without wishing you were illiterate or (gulp) follow me on WattPad. Thank you!

>I am approaching the known limits of the #MINI, and bad things happen if I go over. (What's Bad? Imagine all life as we know it ceasing to exist.) The first person to tell me what movie that comes from gets a signed copy of ABSOLUTION when it--finally--comes out, as well as a small box of Junior Mints. (The fun size.) By way of announcements, I am pleased to say that I will be collaborating with Peter Huntoon--in my mind, the preeminent Vermont artist--this coming January on a project to be posted on his blog, A Day in Vermont. Peter and I do have a lot of shared traits, we both are named Peter and we both love living in Vermont, but one does wonder why he agreed to work with me; I mean, he has talent. (And lots of it!) Thanks again for your support.



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