Lately, I've just been blown away by the massive developments in my first book, Winchester: Saviour.
It all started last week, when I made the decision to put the first half of it up for free for 5 days on Amazon Kindle. When I first looked at the stats the first day into the promo, I was ecstatic to see 4 people had downloaded it. Then day two the number was 57, then 69, then 84!
Around about then, it dawned on this small-brained nutter that the report I was looking at was only for Amazon.com, as in the US, Australia and other countries without their own site. So I scrolled the drop menu and found that 20 people from Germany, same from the UK and even one person from Canada had also downloaded the free Part 1 ebook.
When it was finally over, on my 31st Birthday five days later, a huge 199 people had grabbed a copy of my book from all over the world! I couldn't contain my happiness. And from that 199, I hope that at least the majority like it and take a moment to place a review on Amazon, and Goodreads if signed up. Every little bit helps.
Then, only days after that exciting week, I happened to do a websearch for Winchester: Saviour, just to keep abreast of any happenings out there in the big wide inter-world, and what do I find? Ticking the "Expanded Distribution" box on my paperback publication set up with CreateSpace has paid off big time. Winchester: Saviour, in soft cover/paperback, is officially available in just about every single online book retailer known to man, word wide.
You can actually log on to your favourite book e-store from wherever you are on this planet and purchase a copy of my first published book to hold in your very own hands.
Please allow me to pause a moment and slap myself to make sure I'm not dreaming! And look, honestly, while I may never sell a single copy from any of these stores (though it would be great if I did!) just the fact that my writing has gone from an aging file on my computer, surviving with me through car crashes, relocations, job upheavals and family alterations for sixteen years, to being a published, 5 star rated (on Smashwords, by Cecil. Check it out.) paperback novel is just so, so amazing. In fact, despite being a writer, I find it difficult to really put words to the feeling.
Perhaps there's only one thing to say. Thank you. For the support, encouragement, faith in me... and Cecil, for your review, mate. Thanks a lot for that, whoever you may be.
Till next time,
-Damien.
