- Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2) comes out in less than a month! I've been working my butt off, contacting people for reviews, arranging promos and guest blogs, running ads and putting some finishing touches on some formatting for the books and covers.
- Speaking of guest posts, thank you to everyone who signed up to help with the launch! Material will be coming out very soon. If anyone else is interesting in helping to promote the launch of Butt Monkeys, please sign up below.
- Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space (Gale Harbour Book 1) was one of the March picks for the IWSG book club on Goodreads. If you haven't already, you should join the group and jump into the discussion.
- Psycho Hose Beast is now officially my best-reviewed book, and it's only a few copies away from surpassing Hell Comes to Hogtown as my best-selling book. Despite Hogtown doing well in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off, it seems that writing a series (and doing a shit-ton of marketing legwork) really does pay off.
- I ran a promotion for Psycho Hose Beast with HelloBooks.com last weekend. It cost $30USD to promote it to their supposedly-large reader base, and I sold exactly 3 copies. The investment did not, as they say, pay off. I think it just didn't fit well into their readership. For one thing, it got put into the Young Adult category (which alot of people have been doing actually), even though I really never intended it to be YA. I'm sure some of the themes and characters speak to that audience, but some of the actual content is probably a bit mature for those who prefer books for younger sensibilities.
- I've received a number of reviews in the past few weeks, but one of them I really had to share. It's an amazingly in-depth analysis of Psycho Hose Beast. Honestly I think the guy put more thought into the book than I did. Here's a snippet:
Gallant-King’s Gale Harbour is beautifully constructed. Somewhat isolated, near the water, with underground tunnel systems, and an old Air Force Base, it begs for paranormal happenings. And the cops and Fish and Wildlife folks are just small town enough to be sharp but not too sharp—so they take a journey all their own. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police—aka the Pros—are there, but in the background.
Further bringing the town, the characters, and the decade to life are abundant references to video games, movies, TV shows, music, commercials, and other early nineties staples. A highlight is Skidmark’s rapping Snow’s “Informer.” It’s probably an ear worm for you now. You’re welcome.
Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this is fluff. All throughout the book, the themes of age, memory, and history are woven through on multiple levels, from one end of the character continuum to the other. Niall’s grandmother—suffering from dementia—is put into a nursing home early on. The town itself has bad memories of the storm of ’29, and everyone has something with which they struggle; something to overcome. From the kid who lives in a fantasy world of video store rentals his parents would flip out about if they knew that he was watching, to the adults who have something in their past they are trying to make right or make their peace with.
You can read the whole review on Goodreads or the reviewer's website, Newmystics.com.
Wanna buy it? Click right here!
So this is all pretty exciting stuff, right? I should be super happy, right? Then why am I not enjoying this?
It's not that I'm particularly worried or anxious about the book launch, I'm just tried and burnt out. I don't know what I was thinking, setting a book launch right in the middle of the busiest time of year at my regular job. I sign in at 7:00 in the morning and I'm often still working at 11:00 at night. On top of that my wife has been sick, my kids are having problems at school, the dog is developing dementia and losing the use of her legs (she's very old). It's just so much going on at the same time. There's no time for anything and nothing is fun right now.
I'm trying to look forward to nicer weather and quieter times in the near future. It's got to happen, eventually right?
The question for the month is something about audiobooks, which is just making me depressed because I would love to do an audiobook, but there is definitely no time for that on the schedule.
Anyway, how was your month?
Hugs & Kisses,
-CDGK
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Title of Publication: Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2)
Date of Publication: May 3, 2022
Available: Kindle, ePub, Paperback
No. of Pages: 321
Genre: Sci-fi/Horror/Comedy
Novel Summary/Blurb:
Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.
It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.
Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.
But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.
Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?
PRE-ORDER IT NOW FOR JUST 99 CENTS!
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The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/
18 comments:
Sorry you have so much going on right now. I've been there too, and it's hard. It sounds like even with all you're dealing with that you're doing great in getting ready for your book release. I'd be glad to shout out about it in my Follower News. Email me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com if you're interested.
A month away and you're already getting a lot of traction - awesome!!
(((HUGS)))on the trials and tribs of publishing. It's overwhelming enough without a full time job. I was lucky to be a stay at home mom writer until my guys were in middle school and then learned to get up at 4:30 am to write before getting the kids up. Nothing I could at this point in my life and glad I don't have to. Your book titles are awesome and have tempted me beyond my resistence . . . Off to One Click!
I suspect with the blurb and teen protagonists, it's easy to think it's a YA or even younger book. I think there's a tendency to pigeonhole 'funny' books, as well as scifi, into YA as well. It causes authors a few headaches when something is labelled YA and you've been debating whether it should have an 'adult' tag!
I've put my name down to help and read and everything. No idea how I'm going to fit it, but I will... promise!
Jemima
CD, I'm just finishing my virtual tour, so I can relate. Take time off to breath. Put your feet up when you can. Or at least circle the floor to ease up on your back. I'm in transit next week so I can't help with your tour. Best of success.
Congratulations on the excellent, well-earned review! I'm working on my Butt Monkeys review. You're so right about writing in series--it's the best feeling when readers ask for a side character's story. Happy writing in April!
P.S. I can't offer you May 3rd since I'm also releasing a book on that date. Would you like a guest spot on May 6th?
Wow, just reading your post makes me exhausted. I hope you recover quickly from your burnout and that you see more success. It sucks that the promotion didn't pan out.
The way you're promoting I'd never know that you're juggling a thousand things. Keep up the good work. ;-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
How have I not found your blog before? Your titles and covers are amazing. I filled out your google sign up. Looking forward to reviewing your work. Happy IWSG Day!
I feel bad for whining about my life and it being too busy. I hope your wife is feeling better. Bribe the kids to do well in school- that worked for me. LOL. And hugs about the dog. I had to put down two of my old dogs last year and it sucked. It's an awful choice to have to make, so I hope that you won't have to.
That is a great review. My reviews are awful. You'd think I'd be good at it as a writer, but I'm not.
I signed up to help. If I've already offered, see post about being a bit of a dipshit right now. :)
Awesome review there! (and I snorted at the last line of the book's blurb. So funny).
I'm happy to do a short spotlight on my blog in May.
I need a copy of the book JUST for that title. I can't wait to have someone notice it on my shelf and ask what in the hell I'm doing with an actual book that actually has the words butt monkeys in the title. And then I can shove it at them with that slightly manic bookworm look and tell them to read it too. It's going on the wishlist.
You have the most colorful book titles ever!
Sounds like you're super-busy and on top of everything that's going on around you.
The comment made me smile: "Honestly I think the guy put more thought into the book than I did."
I'm happy to do some tweets for your promo.
Focus on all the good! Congrats on publishing another book. Congrats on that stellar review. Keep up the good work. It's overwhelming right now, but, yes, it will settle down.
Congratulations on your latest release. Great title/cover and review! Sorry, too weighed down with a ton of stuff (not to mention I'm on a caravan holiday) so no can help this time.
It's amazing that you can focus at all with everything going on. Just remember to be kind to yourself. You don't have to get everything done. Everything will eventually work out. Hit me up if you'd like me to do some tweets for you!
Congrats on the great review! It sounds like you're right on track where you need to be with your upcoming book release in spite of all the not so pleasant things going on. Sorry to hear about your family tribulations. I hope your wife feels better soon, and your poor dog. It's so hard when pets get old. Hang in there!
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