Execution

Of plans, dummies.

A few days ago, I finished formatting Alliances. The day before that, I finished version 2 of Empath (although it's more a first draft since the first first draft wasn't totally completed).

And all I could think of when I saw the two files side by side was, "Holy shit. I'm actually doing this."



I don't know why it struck me that I'm publishing another book just now. I think because it's a sequel, and besides fanfiction, I've never actually completed a sequel. Sure, I've thought about them, I've planned them in my head, but I've never sat down and finished a full-length one.

And here I am, about to dive into Razia Book 3. What?

With the exception of some less-than-stellar book sales at conventions, almost everything is going according to my evil plan for world domination. Books are being written on schedule, they're at acceptable lengths, the campaigns are going about as well as to be expected. Even Empath, my problem child, limped across the finish line for a second-first draft when it was supposed to.

But the big test comes in December, when I start requesting time and space at independent bookstores for my #SUsherDoesAmurica book tour that I've been planning since July of this year.

Being the project manager that I am, I have already established my sales thresholds for each city. I know how much I'm spending on hotel, I know what my per diem is on food (only this time, SGR-P is footing the bill instead of the government, so it's less than $20/day), and I know what my mileage is going to be. And I know how many books I have to sell to break even or make a profit. And it's not a lot, but it's still enough to make me nervous - even though I'll have 3 books out for sale at that point.

To be honest, I'm terrified about this tour. It has nothing to do with driving (says the chick that drives 14 hours to Florida by herself twice a year), or with being alone for that long (says the chick who's lived alone for 3+ years). I'm not worried about the conventions - but I am worried that most of the cities are bookstore signings.

My one and only book signing was an embarrassment. Six people showed up, and I already knew all of them.

I don't know anyone in Louisville, KY or Cedar Rapids, IA.

I've got a pretty solid plan in place to minimize that risk. Newspaper/TV engagement, social media engagement using my networks, and assembling a ragtag group of superheros a street team to help me spread the word locally. I'm choosing bigger indie stores in bigger cities, with their own audiences that I hope can draw their own crowds. I've been planning upwards of a year in advance of all of this, as well.

But of course, when execution rolls around, it's up to fate if everything is going to turn out okay. Sometimes you win big, sometimes you lose big, and hopefully the majority is somewhere around the middle.

And I just hope the middle is enough to keep me in the red until October.





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