Learning

Today I read the next part of How to Write a Cozy Mystery. I learned a few things. Mostly how much I don't know about this genre. But I'm learning and willing to change my manuscript to fit the genre. The only part I'm not so sure I want to follow is to have the murder offstage, as it were. Then I started tucking the new parts into the old part, switching things around, and fleshing out other parts. One surprising recommendation is to have three, four, or five books written and ready to be published so you can get them out in quick succession. Would I have enough patience to do that? Finish a manuscript and not publish the book right away? I don't know.

 

On August 1, the BookFunnel promo I joined the other day kicks off, so today I posted the link on Facebook, both on my personal page as well as my author page. I also wrote an email to be sent to my email list on Saturday telling all my readers about the promo. As of today, there are 8 books in the promo so maybe I'll sell one or two this time. That'd be nice.

 

I tried and tried and finally caught a picture of a Sparrow on the new green feeder. At times there were a few Sparrows on the new feeder, but they'd fly away when I moved my hand toward the camera. Usually they're not so camera shy. Maybe it's the new feeder making them nervous.

 

Today's watercolor page is Clover. It doesn't look like any of the clover that grows in my yard or any clover that I recognize but it was okay to paint. I like the two-toned leaves but I was too heavy handed painting the veins on them. I have a hard time making thin lines with the pointy tip of the brush. Sometimes I can do it. Not today.

 

Here's the last Dad's rose for a while. When I came back from my walk today it was the only one that wasn't shedding petals.

 

One of the squirrels spent quite a bit of time up on top of the patio umbrella staring at the feeders. I figure it was trying to decide the best way to tackle the problem of how to get back to the grape jelly.

 

I even made time to draw a gratitude journal page this evening. I was grateful it was cooler and less humid today which made my walk much more enjoyable. I confess, I don't go walking if it's too hot and muggy.

 

In good book-selling news, yesterday I looked at the Amazon reports to find that I sold six books that day. Six! One each of four titles and two of another. That hardly ever happens. There's no way I can tell if six different people bought or one bought five and one bought one. I do not care. I'm just happy they sold. 

--Barbara