By the way, Anthony Dod Mantell said the title thingy, I'm not clever enough to make that sh*t up, honestly.

But I do try for perfection, then my boss Nina gives me a time I have to hand stuff in.  Then it can only be as good as I can do it in the time I have...being a perfectionist just gives you a mental illness...believe me I KNOW.



I am having a real problem with the marketing
....my idea of marketing is that, if my books are good and people like them then they will talk to other people about them, or buy them for other people, or write reviews, so that other people think, wow, that must be good...etc...etc...and that is the way the book will sell, through word of mouth.  
That is my theory anyway.
It seems so much better than telling people how good a book is, and how they should buy it, and how much they will love it.  Because I don't know if people will love it or not.  I know I loved writing it, and I loved editing it, and I loved the end of the process when we put the book together with the gorgeous cover, and my cuz Nina and her daughter Terina came up with the blurb, (thank God because they are harder than writing the entire book)
I loved the genesis of the story and how it slowly grew in my head for about ten years before I started to write it all down without the aid of actually knowing the rules of structure and grammar, and how I went to Whitireia and how I learned how to write a book the year I wrote the book.  
I also love all the characters that I created, even the arse holes, of which there are a few.  
I also love the place where I set the books, although I never really say where they are....apart from the fact the the nearest biggish town is Waipukerau, or WAIPUK as the locals call it.
I love everything about my books, and I have too, or I could have never put them out there would I.  Because that would be delusional.  
 I am proud of all my work but I don't like this marketing thing.  Its so NOT WHAT I DO!
People get degrees for that sort of thing don't they, SO it must be bloody hard.  
Those people know what they are doing.  
I have a degree in Art, Design and a Grad Dip in Creative Writing.
What do I know?
Anyway, after spending a fair amount of time on the social media spectrum, everyone seems to be doing exactly the same thing and I really think now a days, people are just sick of it....I am, honestly, all those buzz phrases like award winning...new york times best seller...world renown...geez...does that make it great.  
I don't think so.  
Ive seen some sh*t oscar winning movies, and some great, ball busting, eye burningly brilliant movies that didn't win anything, and in some cases were complete flops.
What about music, there is some good stuff out there and some total arse, its subjective as hell, just as all art is, I mean if you want to hear something amazing, pure and beautiful, listen to James Taylor, he is like an earth-bound angel, and he's still doing what he loves, and he's still amazing at it.  If I have the choice between being a huge hit, Id rather be someone who is doing what they love for the rest of their life.  The saddest thing I ever heard is that Linda Ronstadt can't sing anymore.  God, what would I do if I couldn't write.   The thought is horrifying. 
I know about money, I know I have to make money for the people who put money and faith in me, and to eat and pay bills, but honestly, I don't write for money.  
If I really worked out how much I get paid for the time I work, its about 50 cents an hour, I sh*t you not.  Also I get advances, so most of the time I've actually spent all my money before I've  earned it.  
Welcome to my life of an artist.


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