Connections

Wow! Things have been busy at Tank and Ferry Entertainment headquarters these latest so many weeks... May and June have just flown! There has been a flurry of features and appearances by HEARTLAND On the Side of Angels in magazines, online and even on the radio. From a meaningful review to puzzle prizes, giveaways and a bit of chit chat. Facebook activity aplenty. All good fun.

I hope all those people who have been successful in the prize packs and giveaways are enjoying their copy of HEARTLAND On the Side of Angels. It would make my day and week to hear from you!! To have a reader share their thoughts and feelings is... well, it's like I'm making a phone call, if the phone rings and rings and no one picks up, we are definitely not having a conversation, at the very least a one way conversation; when you tell me what you think or feel about HEARTLAND and about the ideas in the novel, then you've picked up the phone and a conversation begins about the wondrous connection between you and the world you've discovered on the pages of HEARTLAND.

If it sounds as if I work like a hermit, mostly devoid of human contact, well, sometimes it's a bit like that. The nature of the job. Here is the link to Rama Gaind's review in PS News online in case you missed it...
http://www.psnews.com.au/Bookreviewpsn2703.html

I ventured into the world of Facebook advertising in June. Tank and Ferry Entertainment are currently running two campaigns, one in Australia and one in the US. If you have 'liked' historical fiction on your Facebook page then you might see my ad for HEARTLAND pop up. When someone clicks on the ad, they land on my website, the Heartland page to be precise, to have a read and a browse and then hopefully head to the Buy Now page. I can't tempt anyone in Australia to 'click' regrettably, but in the US quite a few are clicking. I will know soon whether or not those clicks have translated into sales on Amazon.com. Facebook seems like another world really - the world on the other side of a click or a like. It can really dominate your day sometimes. Tension builds... is anyone out there interested in my work, in me? And then there is that moment of surprise and delight you when you discover there is. Definitely, the highs and lows.

To all those lovely people who have liked my page, molto molto grazie.

Liking someone in turn is also so much fun. And as important to them as their liking you is to you. Give and take all the way. 

I had the most amazing experience at North Shore Community Radio several weeks ago. My first radio interview ever. How terrifying is that! Well, for the hermit that I am, it was for me. I was hoping for some ground-swallowing action. Until the wonderful and gorgeous Deborah Evans began to interview me. It wasn't long before I was at home and at ease and chatting away to her about HEARTLAND and about self-publishing. What a great experience, a reaffirming one. I am hoping to have it here on my blog and on Facebook very soon. There were two copies of HEARTLAND given away that morning - I hope the winners are enjoying the book!

Speaking of books, at present I'm reading Lindsay Tanner's 'Sideshow - dumbing down democracy', as well as Lucinda Holdforth's 'Why Manners Matter - The Case for Civilised Behaviour in a Barbarous World'. Loving them both. So interesting and relevant. I bought 'Sideshow' when Tank and I ventured into the Sydney Writer's Festival and packed in for the session called 'Is democracy a dirty word?' Fantastic stuff. And right up my alley of interest. Gosh, it was good, just wished it was longer and there was more time for lots more questions from the floor, including mine!

Speaking of books a bit more, the countdown is on though for the release of the second volume in The Liberty & Property Legends. The manuscript is having its final read (not by me) before heading off to Vivid Publishing for the proof stage.

By the way, if anyone out there is interested in baking, look out for something I'm planning that I think will be pretty special when my new website is launched in September to coincide with the release of the second volume in the Legends series. I'm very excited about it. More about that later.

Happy reading. Happy clicking.