Hello 3.5 readers,
Internationally known awesome person Bookshelf Q. Battler here.
I can claim to be “internationally known” because according to my WordPress stat map, this Antarctica resident is clicking the crap out of this blog:
God bless you, Mr. Tuxedo
As 3.5 of you might recall, I announced at the beginning of this year that I would be undertaking a one post a day for a year challenge.
Time flies when you’re overextending yourself because here we are, with less of this year ahead than behind, and I have yet to miss one day of posting despite repeated and insufferable Yeti attacks.
Stupid Yeti
Has it been worth it? The numbers don’t like. My WordPress, Twitter, and Google Plus Followers are all up and, if you’ll indulge me with some shameless begging, anything you could do to keep those digits on the upswing would be appreciated.
So what’s next?
None of this is set in stone, but here’s where my mind is at the moment:
1) Finish out the one post a day for a year challenge – I’ve come this far, I have to finish. One post a day until the end of the year. Then, no matter what happens next, I’ll at least be able to say I did that. It does help. The more you put yourself out there, the more interest occurs.
2) Spread the Indie Karma – If you follow @bookshelfbattle on Twitter (another plug), you may have noticed that I’ve been on a “plug indie books/authors” kick lately. That’s because I’ve been looking for indie books/authors, not to mention bloggers, that catch my eye and spreading the good will. I’m hopeful that by putting positive vibes out into the universe, the universe will eventually return that positive energy to me tenfold.
3) Keep Alien Jones Going – Heavy is the head that wears the burden of being an alien race’s chosen one. I didn’t ask for this burden, but the Mighty Potentate has spoken and designated me as the writer whose fiction can keep the spread of reality television at bay. The MP forsees that my books will draw so much interest that people will have zero interest in shows about makeovers and/or beautiful people acting like dummies (unless they do so in a fictional manner.) To that end, the MP’s emissary, Alien Jones, will keep answering your questions. All summer, he’s been on a hot streak, where a week has yet to go by without him having a question to answer. He might not answer your question in the week it is asked, but I like to bank a few ahead to keep the streak going. He’s helped 19 authors so far, and that’s so many more than I envisioned when I, as a blogger who claims to own a magic bookshelf, put it out there that I have an alien buddy taking your inquiries. So please, keep the questions coming.
4) Pop Culture Mysteries – That’s an even longer discussion. Here goes:
- A Second “Spin-Off” Blog – Cheers begat Frasier. Buffy begat Angel. Bookshelf Battle begat Pop Culture Mysteries. Is it wise to divide my attention between two blogs? I’ve thought about that a lot. I don’t know for sure. If you run two or more blogs, give me some input. Part of me thinks Bookshelf Battle and Pop Culture Mysteries should stick together to keep the hit rates high on one blog. Another part is leaning toward Pop Culture Mysteries deserving its own home, a blog that with an ongoing story that will coincide with books featuring our resident Pop Culture Detective, Jake Hatcher.
- Finish Writing Season One on Bookshelf Battle – I’m thinking Hatcher’s Case Files (where he investigates a Pop Culture Question and in doing so, often lets the readers in on information about his past and present lives (i.e. before and after the long nap) will be packaged into a season. Each season will end with a book that I’ll put out on Amazon, if Mr. Bezos will have me.
- Where Season One is Headed – Thus far, it’s mostly been about setting up the main characters. I anticipate by the end of the season, we’ll learn that during World War II, Jake obtained, “something” that a nefarious ne’er-do-well wants, and so the first Jake Hatcher book will be about how he acquired that something (and more importantly, how Jake punched Adolf Hitler in the face to get it).
- This Season Isn’t Set in Stone – What you’re reading on Bookshelf Battle is essentially Jake’s rough drafts. The stories may very well change as Jake and I exchange notes through Ms. Donnelly, and as Jake remembers more info. Once this season is in the can, the finished, polished posts will start appearing on the spin-off blog. Once this season is finished, Jake and I move to the pressing business of getting his first novel out.
5) Writer’s Waterfall – This isn’t meant as a brag, but while some people have writer’s block, I have writer’s waterfall. I have so many ideas and so many half-written novels I don’t know where to begin. Sometimes, you have to just pick something and go for it. I have other ideas I want to work on, but I have limited time, so I can only work on one idea at a time. Presently, it looks like Jake’s it. His stories are creative, fun, and best of all, they have a structure that aids story telling. Ms. Donnelly gave a brief outline of Jake’s entire life in Enter the Blonde, so the rest of the series is essentially one man remembering the details and filling in the blanks. He’s telling his life story just like you might tell yours to someone listening.
Speaking of, thanks for listening, 3.5 readers. Will I ever fulfill the Mighty Potentate’s faith in me? I don’t know, but you 3.5 have at the very least provided me with an enjoyable way to spend my free time.
Have I laid out a good course of action for the road ahead, 3.5? Provide me with your copious input, both good, bad, and indifferent.
Sincerely,
Bookshelf Q. Battler
Blogger-in-Chief
Bookshelf Battle Blog
Bookshelf Battle 