Into Indie, Part Three

I'm addicted to Amazon's stats. Today Drive Me Wild is listed as #3 in Adventure Travel. It's been  a "Top 100" seller across all categories and listed as "Book Most Wished For." It's nothing short of thrilling and I owe it all to friends.

I chose last Wednesday, August 8 for a cyber book launch. It was the first full day that Mercury,  the planet of communication, was out of retrograde. It was also a few days after the book was officially listed on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords, creating time to check out the listings and make sure everything was as close to perfection as could be. Debora was the go-to-gal. She knew the bottom line and what to look for. She had formatted the manuscript in three different ways for each market. Miracle woman. (DeboraKLewis@yahoo.com)

I created an event on Facebook for the cyber launch. I snapped a picture of me with the book and invited 500-plus Facebook friends. I also emailed my entire address book announcing the event. I was shameless. "If you're thinking of buying the book," I suggested, "please do so on Wednesday morning. I'm working towards a surge to affect Amazon's statistics and draw attention to the book." Then I held my breath as the responses came in. Mercury was also in the house of friendship on the 8th, creating strong energy for friends to rally behind me. "You've always been shameless, Christina!" was a common response. And rally they did. I was overwhelmed with good wishes and book orders.

It's been pretty lonely up here in Montana. My best women friends are scattered all over the Southwest, Mexico and British Columbia. While writing is always a solitary endeavor, this recent level of isolation has taken me to a new level. Traveling, I'd been accustomed to regular injections of girlfriend time. As a result, Facebook and email had become lifelines.When amigos y amigas  began to order the book and make contact it was a gush of fresh oxygen, breathing new life into this one exhausted woman. My book was born six weeks from the day I'd decided to go indie. It had been one of the most intense, exhilarating, daunting rides of my life. 

The past two days I have received emails from friends that the book has arrived in their mail. They're excited to read it. Not half as I excited as I am. I await their responses and hope they'll review it on the Amazon site. Next Saturday is my first official reading and signing in Libby, MT at the library (2-4:00 p.m.). Every day I make plans for another marketing angle. I'm learning the value of hyperlinks and see no end to the challenge before me.

Hobo the sly cat woke me at 1:00 a.m. this morning. I stepped outside into ebony as shooting stars trailed dazzle across the sky. As I returned to my bed a wolf howled in the far distance. I tucked myself in and smiled at the reminder. Drive Me Wild had birthed in the perfect spot.

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To order a print copy or an e-book on Kindle click on first link.
For other e-book platforms click on the Smashwords link.
Hyperlinks, yes.

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-

Me-Wild-Western-Odyssey/dp/


1478291354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&

qid=1344549232&sr=8-1&
keywords=nealson+drive+me+wild

https://www.smashwords.com/

books/view/210977