Random Thoughts on Writing

What helps improve sales? Everyone trying to sell a book, whether a publisher or an author only hopes they know. Or that there are instructions out there somewhere, waiting to be found and downloaded. I do what I can. I do signings and interviews, I wear a fancy hat to create interest and stand out from the crowd without (I hope) looking like an idiot. I have a web site and I am part of this daily blog. I make my own bookmarks and carry a supply in my purse at all times, and will whip one out faster than an innocent passer-by can get out of range. I go to mystery conventions and speak on panels if invited. I subscribe to needlework magazines and catalogs. I read needlework news groups to keep up with what’s new and occasionally can make a contribution or ask an intelligent question. I try to be pleasant to people I meet. I take showers and brush my teeth and try not to use too much perfume. If anyone has any other helpful suggestions, please let me know.

I'm going to try something a little different this weekend. I'm going to a book event that is not centered on mystery fiction. It's just for one day, Saturday, and it's called Deep Valley Book Festival. It takes place in Mankato, MN. I'm bringing along copies of my books to sell. I hope I bring just enough, not too many or too few -- I don't know which would be worse. I will also bring along a immense poster of the cover of my next book, Knitting Bones, a gift from my publisher. I will have a couple of pieces of needlework, including a work in progress, to show off. I’ll be easy to spot, I’m wearing a fancy hat. Come too close and you’ll walk away with a bookmark.

Speaking of covers, I’ve seen a preliminary sketch for the cover of Thai Die. They got the depiction of the hand-woven silk panel I brought back from Thailand perfectly – the colors are rich and bold, the patterns are exactly right. There is a statue of the Buddha standing amidst the folds that is . . . well, it’s all right. But that’s all there is to it right now. There’s no drops of blood or a shimmery-bladed dagger or any of the other things that tell the casual browser that here be (cue scary voice effect) murder. My editor asked for suggestions, and I had one. I e-mailed the picture out and around and Ellen had one. Denise had one. My agent had one. We’ll see which one gets chosen. Or if they come up with another all their own. So far my covers have been wonderful, so I’m not worried.

Have any of my fellow writers had the “dieseling” effect? That is, you’re tired, you shut down the computer for the night, you brush your teeth . . . and the story keeps rumbling along. You get into bed . . . rumble, rumble, rumble. You know what dieseling really is, it’s when you shut off your car and it keeps running in a clumsy way for a little while. When I’m in full writing mode – as I am right now – it’s hard to get it shut off when the day is done. I have to get up early tomorrow morning (I’m writing this Tuesday evening), and I know that when I get into bed the story will continue unfolding. Less clearly both because I’m tired and because I don’t have my fingers on the keys to turn the notions into real English and make corrections as I go along. I keep a note pad and pencil (not a pen, a pen may not write and in the dark I won’t know that) by my bed so if an idea strikes me as particularly fine, I can write it down. For example, I came up with “dieseling” last night as I waited for sleep to come.