Continuing to Promote "Goddess of the Night"

I recently ordered ten copies of my poetry collection, Goddess of the Night, and they arrived yesterday. It was brilliant being able to open the box. It had taken about three weeks for the order to get to me. I wish that it had gotten to me quicker, but I do have to take into account that I was buying multiple copies of a print on demand book. But they are here now.

I will be selling these copies to who-ever is interested at the next Arts Collective Paisley open mic event that I will be attending. It will be taking place at Blend Coffee Lounge, on Causeyside Street, Paisley. I will be selling these copies for £4 on the night, rather than for £6, which is the going rate on Amazon. Hopefully, it will go well. I am planning on putting what money that I do make from selling these copies into buying more and selling them at more poetry and open mic events.

I got the idea of selling my self-published work at open mic events actually came from one of my friends, who is in my writers group. Taking along hard copies of my books, in order to sell them was one of the many suggestions. I am looking forward to doing this. I just hope that it goes well.

A Challenge for 2016

As I am part of a writer's group, I have accepted a challenge that has been set for everyone in the group. The challenge is that every member is to submit work and have it published. Any work that is self-published isn't accepted and as we will all have work published in the second volume of the Northlore Series, that won't be counted either. It has to be in other magazines or anthologies. I already have a list of magazines and anthologies that are open to submissions.

So far, I have already submitted two pieces of work, including my first piece of flash fiction. I am currently working on a third piece that has to be sent in by the 1st February this year. Even if I write more pieces than get published this year, I am planning on using many of the short stories that I will write this year to create my own collection of short stories, which I will self-publish.

Radio Interview

Today, I took part in a radio interview with Pulse Community Radio. It was as part of my attempts to promote my work and it went well. I discussed my poetry collection and the Northlore Series with Andy, the DJ. It was nice that he had done some research about my work before I got there. As well as asking me about my writing, we talked about my work in archaeology, as well as being part of the Glasgow Vikings.

I also read a couple of the poems from Goddess of the Night. Even though I have done a number of poetic readings in recent months, I still find that doing so makes me nervous. Hopefully, I will come to terms with that, the more that I do such public performances.

The only thing was, he asked me about a book about dating, which wasn't any of the books that I have had any hand in. I know that there is another writer out there, who has the same name as myself, but who focuses on the dating scene. Andy was even kind enough to play some music requests for me. I got Smooth by Santana and Storyteller by Nightwish.

I have been contacting a number of other radio stations, as I am hoping to be able to do more interviews. I am just waiting to hear back from them.

I am planning that, when I have had more work published, I will get in contact with Pulse Community Radio again, and try to organise another interview. Even more incentive to get my finger out and get more of my writing finished and published.