A Different Track

I have been in my particular profession for over 18 years now, having started from the very bottom, training with the British Army to eventually get me the qualifications I needed to retain my civilian job. Like most Indie Authors, I work full-time (Overtime…….anytime really!!) and my published works have cost a lot more than I suspect they will ever return. I run an internet based business alongside my 60+ hours a week regular job so I write whenever, and wherever I can.

Now, since I published my first attempt at a full book, Salby Damned, and – like most, it has been done on a tight budget, it has given me a new-found respect for all authors, especially indies. So much so that I have taken to buying indie works, reading them and writing reviews on each one here on this very blog. There are varying standards of work, some are brilliantly written, others a little rough and in the process of doing this, I have managed to get to chat to some of the authors of said works and have found that getting to know them a little, puts a whole new light on their work. I should state that I BUY indie works, I do not review those that I haven’t paid for.

Suffice to say, there are a LOT of debut writers out there, in the same boat that I am really and it’s a massive pond of stories and tales intermingled with published and once published authors alike. I recently reviewed a book by one such once published author, who shall remain nameless I might add, and it seems that my review as a reader touched a nerve or two. You can imagine my laughter when my full time employer – a multi-national company, had a quiet off the record chat to me stating that “a woman” had contacted them to complain about a review that I had left. Like most people, my employment status was public knowledge, proud to work for who I work for and freely available information on my blog, facebook, twitter and author pages. That was until this “chat” occurred. Now, enlightened by the gutterish action, I have taken steps to ensure that my full-time position is no longer public knowledge because my writing, blogging, facebook and twitter are in my own PERSONAL time and not related to my employer who I might add, has no power outside of work time where I am concerned and certainly has no influence now that they are no longer implicated or linked publicly to myself.

I have since purchased the sequel to the book that I reviewed initially from this author, and I will be leaving a review commensurate with how I find the book to be, although there is quite a queue forming of books and works that I am steadily ploughing through so I’ll be in no hurry to do so.

Recently I have delved into the children’s fantasy genre, reading a book called SPARTANICA by POWERS MOLINAR and so far, I have to say, I am very impressed with the writing and story despite the fact that it is aimed at children I’d say from around 10yrs and upwards. In-between this I have also decided to give my own work Salby Damned, a face-lift edit, based on some genuine feedback and reviews (which were essentially good) which have begun to trickle in. Again, like most indies, my book is self-edited and believe me when I say, there is nothing worse than trawling through your own book editing! It surely is a labour of love. As my first attempt though, I find increasingly that I cannot let it rest until it is right, until it at least reaches the standard of some of the better stories I have read so far by others and hence, the make-over began a couple of days ago at the expense of the sequel Salby Evolution, and another work Being Within, that I had been developing.

This will be the SEVENTH time I have looked at this book, tweeked, corrected and deleted scenes, and speaking from experience I would advise ALL debut authors to edit it until you’re happy……………and then edit it again, you’ll be surprised at how you read it after a few weeks. While I’m on this subject, I have a few thank-you’s to mention……..

Sallyann Phillips, author of Angels Blood, my thanks for our “author chat sessions” at stupid o clock some mornings, putting the literary world to rights, always a pleasure.

The lovely @BooksandSpoons who, along with a long list of other tweeters, takes it upon herself to help promote mine and other indie works selflessly, I thank you on behalf of all of us.

JoJo Mitchell, best selling author of over 5000 books, for her encouragement, support and advice since I began the long climb into this world of writing.

The readers at Goodreads.com who are now beginning to review my work having been guinea pigs for the first attempt, I apologise profusely for any pain Salby Damned may have caused you but thank you deeply for reading and reviewing it for me.

To my followers worldwide on twitter, facebook and right here on my blog, as someone who writes for fun, to have your support and more-so to have you buy and read my work really is humbling and quite a world apart from my everyday job. Thank you all.

Rest assured, once this edit is complete, the revised edition will be re-published and I will then crack on again with the sequel, thank you for reading.

Ian