Carpe Diem Scroto The Book blog

 Well today finds me doing what I do best, creating webpages. I have started working on the pre-sale, and the order, pages for the book. I'm really excited and nervous about this at this same time. As we get closer to the deadline, and publication dates, it seems all surreal.

I'm sure that every creator who takes their idea from concept to draft, to physical creation feels this too. My biggest hope is that it will be well received, and that people find help, hope, and inspiration from Carpe Diem Scroto. 

Also, sometime this week I should be hearing back from the Community Events Commission about if I will be able to attend the upcoming community picnic and have a table and take in donations. I think that is what I am the most nervous and excited about. The prospect of having hundreds of people stopping by my booth and looking over my materials and getting to connect with people one on one.

Anyways, I just wanted to give a quick update as to what is happening, while I am sitting here at my work computer and taking a quick break. 

 So I recently had this commercial created and I like the narrative of it and think that it gets the message across about the book. What are your thoughts on it?

 So it's been awhile since I made a post and given an update about things going on with the book. Right now the illustrator has it and is working on it, but only part time right now as they've had some personal things come up in their life. We spoke last night about deadlines and when I would expect it back from them, and they agreed to the timeframe that was set, so that was good.

I was supposed to do another community event on July 20th however, that has been cancelled due to scheduling complications. So far there hasn't and isn't going to be any public fundraising events that I am aware of. However, in August there is a few events that I am going to try to attend that draw in several hundred people, and will be a good way for me to get my book in front of people and get a chance to do some pre-sales, and hopefully fundraise. One of the requirements for one of the events is that I have to have some information that will be beneficial to the community and so I thought that I could do a mental health "spin the wheel" type thing where I could have cards with a colored dot and they would have true, false, and myth questions on them and would serve as a way to get mental health information out to the community and maybe do some type of prize if they get it right. I still have to come up with ideas for that, but I will find out sometime this comming week if I can attend that function. 

The next function after that is going to be a community fare where I will be able to set up and just give out information about the book and maybe play some games. So there are somethings coming up that should be good.

But thats pretty much it for right now. I hope your summer is going well and that you are staying fairly cool as it seems that most of the nation is in a heat advisory of one sort or another.

So with everything going on in my personal life right now, the nice added distraction of book "work" is kind of nice. However, I feel like I am hitting a wall even with that right now. I am looking for a new location for my next set of events that I want to hold to continue to raise money for the book and its publication.

I asked the public library if there was a chance that I could hold an event there and was told because it wasn't a library sponsored fundraiser that it would violate their policies. When asked if they would sponsor it as I am not only a community member, but an aspiring author, the answer was a bit "spicier" than the original no. That old adage "doesn't hurt to ask" was tested and kind of passed failed.

So, with only a few months until the October deadline, things are getting really stressful for me and getting everything situated is taxing to say the least. But thankfully I have an amazing PR team that I am working with, and they recently brought on a new person who has given everyone new ideas and energy.

We'll see what the next few months hold. 

 Well today I heard back from a publisher that I really wanted and hoped to work with and they did the canned response "sorry but we are not accepting your type of book at this time" which really kind of gut punched me. I really loved everything about this publisher, but as I have learned with other life lessons, the rocks on the path of life, teach us to keep a eye on the prize, and an eye on the path. So with that in mind, I am still perusing the self-publishing route, just going to keep an eye out for other publishers that may wish to pick me up.

In the mean time, I have taken to Reddit again to pick the collective brain of the Self-Publishing folks over there and see what they have to say.

I am so very happy and beyond thankful for everyone who came out to show support and meet me, regardless the cold and at times breezy weather. But with those who were in attendance, I was able to share my story, and connect with them, and even have a few laughs along the way. Now on to plan the next event. On the calendar coming up next is my interview with Successful Toy Podcast on May 28, 2024 at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern 

If you would like to donate to helping me with publication funding please check out https://support.cdsthebook.com