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At the time of this writing, The Broken Places has been out for a little over a month. During that time, I've been basking in the joy of actually having my name on the cover of a book and still coming to grips with the fact that I've accomplished one of my life's biggest goals.
Now that this time has come and gone, I find myself settling into this new role and trying to predict and understand what the coming months, and years, might look like. I have zero intentions of stopping. My second novel is set for release within the next year or so and I am hard at work on my third. In fact, I have ten planned-out books. So, this will be my reality for a while, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
However, this month hasn't all been good. One huge disappointment has been the shelving of a work in progress that I was quite excited about. I'd been working on it since January, and those who heard me talk about it knew how excited I was. However, at around the 50,000-word mark, I realized that I didn't know where it was really going. I had the ending in mind, but making it make sense proved to be a major roadblock that I was unable to overcome, leading to a clog of creative juices that needed to be cleaned out with a clean break. Someday I will finish that book, and I can't wait to release it whenever I do, but that won't be today. Or soon. I have too many other stories that are itching to get out with their ducks already in a row. This little Lovecraftian problem child of mine will just have to wait.
On that note, I'm excited to say that I am working hard on a new novel. I'm excited about this one as well, and the words are flowing pretty freely at this point. Time has been an issue, but when the time has been there so has the story. I hope to have the first draft completed and the first round of editing done by the end of summer. Around this time I will also begin throwing out promotional items for my second novel, A Dark Roux.
I really can't wait for everyone to read it.
But with all that said, The Broken Places is still the star of this show for the time being. So far, the book has been very warmly received both by Netgalley reviewers and general readers. Sales have been consistent and higher than I imagined. I talked a lot about tempering expectations prior to its release. As a new author with no literary footprint whatsoever, I knew chances were slim for success.
However, my amazing publisher Wicked House has done a sensational job of getting the title out there, and groups such as the Facebook group "Books of Horror" have graciously provided ample visibility. Following the review on Ginger Nuts of Horror, The Broken Places has officially earned a Bestseller tag for the category of Occult, Ghosts, and Haunted Houses (fitting, given the story is really a southern haunted house story disguised as a cabin in the woods tale) while consistently performing well in the Horror Suspense and Occult Horror sections. On the one-month anniversary of its release, I reached 100 ratings on Amazon, which I'm told isn't bad for an indie book.
But more important than sales is the fact that people seem to genuinely like the story.
Not every story is for every reader. And that's ok. As an author, I want to build a readership of readers who enjoy my particular type of horror. If you gave it a shot, but it wasn't for you, then I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving it a chance, and I hope you're able to fall in love with your next read. If you read the book and enjoyed it, then stay tuned. I have some things in the works right now that will hopefully allow for more direct communication and updates. Chief among these is a newsletter, which should be available soon.
For now, I'll continue to bask while working hard toward the future. Like I said, I've got some more stories to tell, and I can't wait for you all to read them.
