Update . . .

The azaleas are blooming! (Credit: Keith Carreiro, April 2016).

A deep and heartfelt thanks to Bridgewater State University’s Teaching & Technology Center (TTC), especially to Mr. Reid Kimball, Assistant Director, and Mr. Tim Wenson, Academic Technology Specialist, for their patient help in teaching me how to use this site more effectively.

I have almost reached the end of my blog posts on writing about the storytellers who have impacted and inspired me the most. Reflecting about their qualities, experiences and work is especially important to me because writing about them in this fashion helps me honor them for who they are as individuals and for acclaiming the work they have achieved. These artists have galvanized me into maintaining a life where critical thinking and imagination are an integral and vital part of my own creative activities.

A deep appreciation for music is something I will always have with me, even though I cannot take a performer’s role in it, let alone make a living from it anymore. In turning to writing, I hope that I have successfully begun to acquire and to apply the lessons I have learned from all the years of playing music and in being with people who have taught me so much about the performing, visual and literary arts.

Cherry blossoms outside and in front of the Bridgewater Public Library. (Credit: Keith Carreiro, April 2016.)

Since my last update on the progress made in my self–publishing journey, some milestones have been met. However, I feel as though I am moving in arduously slow motion. For every exploratory step taken, I often need to take five steps backwards. There is a lot of cognitive dissonance to learning something new. Attempting to acquire new skills is fraught with expending a tremendous amount of energy. Whereas, once one has mastered the basics, going through similar steps and processes of a task seem easy.

There is so much to learn. For example, I am taking a large amount of time to become acclimated to the various social media platforms I need to use to start, maintain and effectively use an author’s platform.

I’m fairly positive that I have made some serious blunders in operating this website. The amount of traffic on it could be a lot better. Lack of knowledge very often impedes creating a highly visible and active site. My ignorance about using the website dashboard, organizing an email list of readers and potential followers, using Facebook and Twitter, and aesthetically designing a website that in itself brings readers to my work is very much lacking.

Despite all of the negatives, the most positive one is that I have been writing on a regular basis since the beginning of this year.

 

Writing my tribute to Stephen King gave me the opportunity to get in contact with David Bright. David and I use to share an apartment in Orono, Maine when we went to school there at UMO. David was Steve’s first editor when Dave worked on the university’s student newspaper, The Maine Campus, and Steve wrote a column for it called “King’s Garbage Truck”.† In checking some facts with David about Steve’s writing for the campus newspaper, I also found out that there was an ongoing writing project occurring in which a few, former UMO students were writing personal narratives

Tulip blossoming on Bridgewater State University campus. (Credit: Keith Carreiro, April 2016.)

about their time at the University from 1 966–1970. I was invited to be a member of the group, and had the wonderful opportunity to join them and to participate in this undertaking.

Writing my narrative was not easy at all for me to do. I had to clear away a lot of psychological blocks and unleash memories I have kept bottled up inside of me for 50 years.

Nevertheless, I was able to have the invaluable editing help of Dr. Jim Bishop. Jim was Steve’s first university English professor. I learned, and completely appreciate, what a great editor does for the writers they coach, assist and advise. I thoroughly enjoyed the give and take of his feedback to me on what I had written and in receiving his advice and thoughts on how to improve it for the purposes of this project.

Once the overall manuscript is completed, designed and approved for publication, I will be sure to talk more about it. It will be published by the University of Maine Press, and it has a scheduled launch date of October of this year.

Regarding my book, the Penitent – Part One, I have found a mentor, Stephanie Hale, to help me through the labyrinth of self–publishing. She has provided me with her encouragement and expertise in the areas of editing and revising the original manuscript, as well as in the formatting of the cover and interior design.

 

Pear tree blossoming in the Flora T. & Walter S. Little Memorial Garden in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. (Credit: Keith Carreiro, April 2016.)

Not only will I be publishing the story in eBook format, but I also will be publishing it as a print on demand [POD] book, too.  The cover, spine, and back of the book all require thoughtful consideration and well written statements that effectively tell prospective readers what the story is about in a, hopefully, well–designed jacket. Reviews need to be written that help capture the essence of the story and the attention of a prospective readership.

I have found a firm in England, eBook Partnership, that is converting the manuscript into electronic format in order to download it to a variety of eBook platforms, such as Kindle, Nook and Kobo. Two file formats are required; one being mobi (for Kindle devices only) and the other being ePub.

This firm will also be helping me with distribution for twelve months. Heather Debling is my project manager for electronic conversion of my manuscript, while Diana Horner was my initial contact there. Both individuals have been very patient with me and they have provided me with a lot of information on the processes that I need to engage in to get the manuscript ready for eBook publication.

Stephanie Hale has been giving me pointers in identifying my readers and to have as clear an idea as it is possible to have in order to know who they are, which is critical in establishing a direction and overall strategy for marketing and sales.

This last area is my weakest. It is very difficult for me to promote my work. However, I am learning the importance of building a relationship with people so that they can hear this love I have for my story. Hopefully, it comes across in an authentic way and they will take the opportunity to see for themselves that the Penitent – Part One can stand on its own merits.

Like the flowers just beginning to blossom around us here in southeastern Massachusetts, and pictured here in my blog this evening, I am beginning to see that a season of hope for the novella is slowly turning into a new spring of creative effort . . .

Notes:

†“King’s Garbage Truck was a weekly column published in The Maine Campus from 20 February 1969 to 21 May 1970, during King’s junior and senior years. A total of 47 installments were published: 34 in 1969, 13 in 1970 . . . ”                                                                                         (http://stephenking.wikia.com/wiki/King%27s_Garbage_Truck).

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products or services that I have mentioned here. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

© 20 April 2016 by A. Keith Carreiro