First of all, thanks to all of you who have either supported my work, or inspired me with your own dedication and commitment to your creative path. Choosing to create - whether writing, composing, or creating visual media - isn't easy. Bringing your work to the larger world is an even greater challenge.
I've never been one to write "holiday update" letters, and I promise this won't be filled with the dreaded TMI (too much information). However, one of my objectives for the year ahead is to be a better "authorpreneur" (author-entreprenuer) so I wanted to share a little bit of what I'm doing to connect with an audience as an independent
content creator in 2015.
As of January 1st, I'm officially launching
Own the Scrawny, my second novel (and a follow-up to
My Life at the Bottom of the Food Chain, which I published in 2013). Aimed at an early teen/pre-teen readership, it's the story of a Alexander, a boy overwhelmed by a legion of online trolls (the anonymous comment-posters that torment anyone who dares to create or appear in content online). It's great fun, I think, and a fitting follow-up to the first book.
I also hope it gives kids a better perspective on an unfortunate fact of online life. In fact, the boy who portrays my protagonist on the cover of my books, a twelve year-old whose YouTube channel is
DrewDudeTV, has been invited to kill himself by commentors on his channel simply for creating funny videos. Thankfully, he has strong family support and older brothers with YouTube experience, so he has a healthy perspective. Some kids don't have that advantage.
Now that the book is out in
paperback and ebook at Amazon and all of the familiar online retail destinations, I face the challenge of creating grass-roots awareness. In addition to the tradtional routes (press and limited advertising to targeted audiences), I'm working on a campaign encompassing social media elements including
Twitter,
Facebook, blogs and, yes, YouTube to get the word out to kids, parents, teachers and homeschoolers. I'm also hoping to expand opportunities to introduce my books directly through various events. This coming month, I'll be interviewed on
The Twirl, a cool, rock-oriented radio program in Sacramento, and appearing at an event here in the Santa Clarita Valley saluting local authors. I'm open to school visits, too.
Please feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested. Support from friends, colleagues and supporters as I launched the first book was phenomenal - it's the very heart of building grass-roots awareness.
Wishing you all the best on your own creative endeavors in the year ahead,
Rich
Upcoming Events:
January 10, 2015, 4:00 pm "
Twirl Radio" - Host Mike Lidskin and I will talk about "Own the Scrawny." Available on the air in Sacramento, streamable from the link.
January 17, 2015, 10 am - 3 pm Santa Clarita Public Library / Celebration of Local Authors. I'm be at the event all day, and appearing on a panel at 10:40 am. Old Town Newhall Public Library, 24500 Main Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
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