Runup to Reztap #1

What a crazy week! With the upcoming launch (March 9th) of book one in The Chronicles of Reztap series - The Adventures of Reztap, I've been busily engaged with proof reviews, web site construction, and setting up blog tours, convention appearances and book signings. It's all a lot of activity - more so with the missus taking off this weekend and leaving me to handle the daily activities of the household including care and feeding of two dogs and a grandson. While those activities have actually been a pleasure, they didn't leave much time for the other stuff I needed to accomplish!

This was actually my second proof review, but twice the length of the last one. I have realized even an editor couldn't catch everything especially with the mess the initial manuscript was in from the point of view rewrite that screwed it up in the first place. Add to that strange names, spellings and punctuation of alien names and you've got a mixed bag of trouble waiting to explode. Well, I exploded that bag on my publisher this week a mere three days before it was going to print with no less than two revision documents marked up. I've resolved to be a bit more meticulous with book two before it reaches an editor for their first pass. I'm reviewing it now with the grammar review and catching all the strange names that need to be consistent. The biggest takes I have from this exercise is to reduce the number of apostrophes in race and individual character's names. Hopefully, I caught everything in book one - I look forward to your letters/emails/comments telling me what I missed!

Web site build has been going at a frenzied pace this week. The initial splash page has been up for a few weeks, so upcoming events have been posted, but the meet of the web site is still to be revealed. I will tell you the newsletter signup works and everyone who signs up for the newsletter will get an eBook of Mishaps and Mayhem: A Reztap Primer, a short story book not available for sale. The only ways to get it are via the newsletter signup (get a free eBook) or when you visit me at a book signing or convention appearance (get a hard copy with purchase of book one). I reserve the right to give it away for other events, but it won't be for sale online or at a brick and mortar store.

I think the other web site content is humorous and entertaining - it's likely we won't take the full web site live until March 9th when you can actually purchase book one (right now the link goes nowhere since the book hasn't been published yet.)

I'm making my very first blog tour appearance at Bitten by Books on March 19th. It will be an interesting experience. There is a contest for a $50 Amazon gift card and a chance to ask whatever questions you might have of me in a semi-live format over the space of 24 hours. The length of the tour gives people in all time zones across the globe a chance to participate.

I've been hard at work setting up convention appearances over the next couple of months. Here are the planned events (subject to change depending on booking confirmations/available funds for traveling to/from said convention):

AggieCon (March 27-29, 2015 College Station, TX) - attending only - too close to try and setup anything else.
CyPhaCon (April 17-19, 2015 Lake Charles, LA) - dealer table
ComicPalooza (May 22-25, 2015 Houston) - applied to be a Guest, panel appearances
ApolloCon (June 19-21, 2015 Houston) - Artist's Alley table
ArmadilloCon (July 24-26, 2015 Austin) - dealer table
Sasquan (August 19-23, 2015 Spokane, WA) - this is the World Sci Fi con aka WorldCon. Will go if can afford it - they may allow a book signing.
DragonCon (September 4-7, 2015 Atlanta, GA) - applied to be a Guest, panel appearances with table.
TusCon (October 30 - Nov 1, 2015 Tucson, AZ) - will try to get a table and/or get on panels.

I know there are some book signings "in the works". I'll be honest, I'm not sure when they are, but I will keep everyone updated. I will be contacting Houston area Barnes and Noble stores and independent booksellers myself soon to set these up (or join a group event already planned).

With all of that done and some still to go, I'm finally at a point to engage in a little more writing! To all of my fellow authors out there, I hope your writing and marketing efforts are incredibly successful. To all you readers out there, get out to Amazon (or my web site) and buy a book on March 9th! Amazon reviews gratefully appreciated as well.

Regards,
Artemus