A question

OK, here's the thing. As I work on this first book of my trilogy, I keep coming up with stories from Daniel's past. I've already taken up my flashback space with him telling Maria about his vision quest, and don't think I should spend anymore time on it there. I've started thinking about a prequel, but my head is already spinning with the second and third books, and even another book or more set in modern times, and the legacy of the stone's magic.

What is starting to gel is a bunch of freebies, posted to my website, or my blog, which I have set up but have not used yet - or maybe even as a focus for my Examiner.com site: Tales and happenings grouped as, maybe, "The Adventures of Daniel Redstone." They could include his sea adventures as a young merchant seaman, between the ages or 14 and 16, as well as early stories of his experiences with the Comanche from the time he was 16 until he left the tribe, sometime between 1842 and 1845, and even going forward to his early days as a mustanger in the Hill Country (1845 - 1851), leading up to his meeting with Maria, which begins the trilogy.

As his back story grows in my head, I could relate those things that are not pertinent to the books themselves, but would be helpful in explaining his motivations and choices. I could generate interest in the character, and could keep myself productively occupied during the spaces where I have to do more research and wait for inspiration for the nest step.

I am in one of those spots now, and am thinking that the first novel needs to jump a few years ahead to the time just preceding the Civil War. I find myself doing more research than writing again. That part of the story is beginning to congeal, but how much time should I spend on the "blissful years" between their marriage and the start of their new troubles - how to cope with being at war when you don't agree with the majority as to which side you ought to be on.

What do you think? Would these free, public short stories help or hinder the success of the eventual series?

Ann

Dear Ann,
Tolkien's Silmarillion came to my mind as I read your post. Perhaps something similar could be a possibility.
Love,
Betty

Good idea, Betty. If I start now, maybe I can do it while I'm still alive

Ann,

I wish I knew. Definitely, do it now-- while you are alive though!

Hi Ann,

I uploaded The Power of Persuasion onto Smashwords last night at 11 pm. There were 11 downloads before I went to bed. I woke this morning to find that the book had been downloaded 62 times. Two hours ago, the number of downloads had gone up to 88 and now stands at 108.

This seems to be a knock-on effect from adding Forever Friends and offering it for free during Read an Ebook Week. Forever Friends has been available for free download since Sunday, 6th March. The total number of downloads is 30 (averaging 5 downloads/day). It provided a small opening for the introduction of another book.

It takes a great deal of time (years) and effort to bring books to readers' attention. Hopefully, the hard work will pay off.

Btw the free downloads for the Literature & Fiction Interviews books totals 527. The free advertising seems to have helped!

It sounds like what you're really trying to do is use the online venue to get the storyline juices flowing for the print book. Good idea, and if it draws potential readers in, that's a bonus.

Dear Ann,
I have thought about this all afternoon while we sawed limbs and stacked logs and burnt the branches. The more I thought about it, your idea of the free. public short stories downloadable to Kindle or any other gadget, is really a great idea.


I read Shelagh's post and she is right. One thing builds up the other.

Great job, Shelagh on the Power of Persuasion!

So many, many people are buying one of the readers. Giving them something free is really genius. It leads up to the books that follow, which will be available as ebooks. Lead and they will follow.

As soon as Wooffer is my own again, I plan a similar strategy. I thought about it last night, my idea of the hampsters who view the world from Detective Stodge's sixth floor window that looks out upon the train tracks and the factories will be where I will begin the new stories. Joey and Mr. Zip-Zip and Maisey will be famous for sure.

Love,
Betty

Thanks Betty! It's now twenty-four hours since I uploaded The Power of Persuasion. The book has been downloaded 138 times!

Dear Shelagh,
You are one of a kind. That is for sure.

Love,
Betty