D.B.arpley's Amazing Ass Blog #14

Greetings and salutations people and peoplettes, This is the 15th edition of what I am now politely calling my ‘Ghost Blog’ due to the fact that I am almost certain only ghosts are reading it. Fact: I am an author, and a damn good one at that. Fact: My first self published book, ‘Learning to Kiss in the Snow,’ sold exactly 4 copies, not counting the 1000 dollars I spent printing the 25 copies I gave away to friends and family. Fact: My latest book, ‘Lick the Razor’ is performing abysmally as an ebook even given its attachment to Germinal Press and the prolific exposure it is receiving in ‘Fangoria’ magazine – the number one national magazine for my demographic. I have been writing for over 25 years and I have absolute confidence in the quality of my work. I write the kind of books I want to own and I am confident that there is a market for my writing – a huge one at that. I write excellent short stories with a very cinematic quality reminiscent of King’s early work. So the market is there. It is just a matter of reaching them. Selling an ebook as an unknown author in this flooded market is akin to floating in the middle of the Pacific and screaming for help. Your chances only go as far as your voice carries. Even with a megaphone, (my ad,) the voice only carries so far. Once a week on Facebook I blitz about 200 interest relevant groups with a different and unique eye catching advertisement. This takes some time to do and the return on the effort is minimal at best. Last week I only moved 1 copy that I could tell from the endeavor. What does this all mean as I near completion on my next book, a delicious novel titled ‘The Death of Fear’? It is extremely unedifying to write for an audience of 1 – myself. But on the other hand there is a kind of quiet beauty in the act of creating art in the face of such almost certain failure. It is creating it because it has to be created, and for no other reason. I realize that a continued relationship with my current publisher depends on a decent return on investments made. That being said, I am going to continue writing my books no matter what promotional situation I find myself in. I have it in my head to write 27 books before I die, don’t ask. And I intend to write each and every single one of them. Hell, I already have the next 14 or so mapped out. So if you are reading this and you end up having a way to access my writing, know that any book of mine you read will be entertaining and in no way shape or form a waste of your time. This is my vow to you. This is my vow to myself. O.K. That is enough maudlin crap for the time being. Until next we meet, keep reading and have an amazing ass day.