I’m Pulling the Plug

That’s it. Time’s up. I’m pulling the plug on the life support holding my dream alive of having this book traditionally published. Everyone answered no or didn’t bother to answer at all, which in the publishing world means no nonetheless.

Only one publisher has not answered, but, uh, I’m not holding my breath on that one. It’s the publisher I sent my manuscript to twice by mistake. I’m still kicking myself for that ‘stoopid’ mistake. That’s right. Stoopid with two ‘o’s because the error is so embarrassing that the adjective used to describe it shouldn’t even be written correctly.

So, I will begin promoting my book on Amazon tomorrow, September 1st, and publish it on October 1st.

I will admit I am a little nervous. It’s never easy putting your work out there for all to see and judge. If the Internet has taught us anything, it is that people are really mean when not immediately faced with the consequences of their words. For that reason alone, I seldom read the comments people leave for my essays. Good or bad, I don’t want to know. My words are out there. Do with it what you please. My work is done.

This book is lightyears away from what I usually write. It’s dark fiction, and when I mean dark, I’m talking sinister. This story is not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy horror, give it a whirl. I must warn you, there are graphic depictions of physical violence, and profanity is used. It tells the tale of three intruders who penetrate the house of a woman who is alone with her four-year-old daughter on Halloween night. What ensues next is a night of horror for the mom, who must escape her own home with her daughter once she realizes they did not come to burglarize her house.

No, it’s not the next bestseller, far from it. It’s what I call a “popcorn book” where you immerse yourself in the story like in a movie purely for entertainment. No big life revelations or answers to Earth’s mysteries will be found in this story. But there is a slight moral like every tale should have.

I hate to promote a book I’m selling. It feels wrong and dirty for some reason. “Just leave the money on the nightstand and go!” I stole that from Jim Carrey when he promoted his movie Lemony Snicket’s A series of Unfortunate Events. I’m a fan; what can I say?

So, there you have it. Here is the end, or the beginning (it depends on how you look at it) of this particular novel or novella (it depends on who you ask).

And for those of you still in the nitty-gritty of finding an agent or a publisher, I wish you my most heartfelt good luck. I’ve started writing another novel. I might be joining you in a few months.