Sunday 3 July 2016

An Author's Apprenticeship

I've now written nine books, five of which are published. Out of all of them the one closest to my heart is Broken Faces. As I've mentioned before this book did well in a competition and was the reason my agent signed me. It has culminated in four years of ups (a few) and downs (too many to recall) but that seems to be part of the apprenticeship of being an author. 

Now, though, Broken Faces has been published as an ebook - it will be out in paper back this autumn. It's been given a new cover because the previous one, though historically accurate, didn't show the hope in the book, only the dispair. 

I'm learning about writing, promotion and all things book related as I go along and sometimes, when I spend entire weekends facing a computer screen, I do wonder why I'm not outside enjoying my free time. But when it comes to writing there is no free time. I'm either physically typing at a keyboard, checking information for research, or promoting (which is what I find most difficult). If I'm not doing any of those things then I'm working through plot points in my head. Writing a book seems to take up an awful lot of time each day. Thankfully, for the most part, it's something I thoroughly enjoy doing.

Apart from a reader buying and enjoying a book, the most exciting thing is when they take the time to review it. Today I discovered another five star review for Broken Faces on Amazon US. (The reviews on Amazon UK and Amazon US are not automatically linked). 

This morning I've been designing new postcards to be handed out. Later today I'll go out with my family for a meal where the chatter will be about many things and very little of it book related. 

I've also been updating my www.deborahcarr.org website

Tomorrow I'll sit back down in front of my computer screen and carry on with the next book, a sequel to Broken Faces based during the Occupation of Jersey in WW2.

2 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Everything to do with writing these days takes up so much time, Debs, that I'm trying to embrace it! Great new cover - still haven't read this but the original is still on my kindle patiently waiting its turn.

Deborah Carr said...

Thank you so much for buying Broken Faces, Rosemary! I hope you enjoy it.

Yes, I enjoy most of it. :)