Carpe Diem Scroto The Book blog

One thing that most people do not take into consideration is that marketing is a cutthroat game. You have to have a wide variety of platforms, network connections and social media followers to even begin to make a difference in getting your content or product in front of the consumer, regardless if that is digital/physical goods, or just your media in general.

Now add to that, the financial tolls that it takes on the ol' pocketbook and you have a very slim chance when it comes to competing with the big dogs. Working with a term that I've coined "a broken shoestring budget" it makes it even more of a challenge. 

However, being a Generation Y aka a Millennial or in my case a the newly formed "Xennial" demographic (Xennial's are the micro-generation of people on the cusp of the Generation X and Millennial demographic cohorts which spans 15 years from 1981 to 1996) I have a pretty good understanding of marketing with slightly outdated, yet mildly effective styles, that stand out as they are not typically seen in today's markets.

I have been pandering myself to various content creators (something typically handled by PR Firms and Marketing Groups) in hopes of utilizing their platforms and subscribers to boost the awareness of my upcoming book, and to also shine a light on my other works as well. All of these methods I am employing in hopes of not only raising funds for my book, but to also advocate mental health awareness and making it more acceptable for men to open up and talk about their own struggles and stop the generational curse and antiquated idea that men are supposed to just grin and bear it, "because that's what men do." I also strive to deweaponize the idea that men having feelings, needing mental help, or just needing reassurance is somehow a form of weakness and an attack on their manhood, or that they are "snowflakes" that need a "safe space" when in reality, all people just need that assurance that they are doing the best they can with what they have available to them.

This is the soul of my book Carpe Diem Scroto 365 Daily Affirmations. I used these very same affirmations and antidotes to help me with my own mental health struggles. Dealing with depression, suicidal ideation, and bipolar episodes, I understand that some days all you can give to the world is you brushing your hair and making sure to eat at least one meal and drink some water. These seem like very basic tasks, but in reality, when your brain is telling you that everything around you is falling apart because of your actions or inability to do XYZ, and that you would be better off dead, because you would be less of a bother to those around you, these are VERY BIG accomplishments. 
This is where gender inequality really shines brightest. As it is ok for women to have "break downs" because they are the "fairer sex", and that it is a "lack of strength and manhood", for a man to exhibit such behaviors.

Whatever the outcome of my efforts, I feel a passionate drive that I have not had in years to get out in front of as many people as possible and share my experiences, my tales of healing and overcoming obstacles with the world and sharing my words of hope and inspiration, with everyone who just stays silent about the crosses they bear. 

For the last few days, I have been trying to edit my book into a format that seems to be standardized for ePub/eBook formatting and I don't know if it is the program that I am trying to use, if it's the fact that it is a Word document, or what the heck is going on, but whatever is going on it looks like a jumbled mess. I am hoping that once I submit the book via KDP that it will fix everything for me. But this is beyond my scope of knowledge. I have followed the directions of several YouTube videos, yet nothing seems to be helping.

Are you seeking to dive deep into the realm of mental health, positivity, and personal growth? Look no further than Michael Peterson, the author behind the upcoming book "Carpe Diem Scroto: 365 Daily Affirmations." In this blog post, we'll explore how you can connect with Michael for interviews and speaking engagements that inspire and uplift.

About Michael Peterson: Michael Peterson is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. Drawing from personal experiences with depression, Michael crafted "Carpe Diem Scroto" as a daily guide filled with affirmations, insights, and encouragement to navigate life's challenges with resilience and hope.

Interview Opportunities: If you're a journalist, podcaster, or content creator looking to feature Michael Peterson in an interview, we welcome your inquiries! Michael is available to discuss a wide range of topics related to mental health, self-care, positivity, overcoming adversity, geekery, pop culture or life in general.

Key Discussion Points:

• The inspiration behind "Carpe Diem Scroto" and its impact on readers.
• Strategies for maintaining mental wellness in challenging times.
• Tips for cultivating a positive mindset and embracing self-care practices.
• Insights into Michael's journey as an author and mental health advocate.

Booking Speaking Engagements: Are you organizing an event focused on mental health awareness, personal development, or motivational talks? Consider inviting Michael Peterson as a speaker! Michael's engaging presentations combine personal anecdotes, practical advice, and inspiring messages to empower audiences and ignite positive change.

How to Reach Out: For interview requests, speaking engagements, or media inquiries, please contact Michael Peterson's team through the official website Carpe Diem Scroto. You can also connect with Michael on social media platforms like Instagram @cdsthebook Facebook.com/cdsthebook to stay updated on news, events, and book releases.

Conclusion: Unlock the power of inspiration and resilience with Michael Peterson as your guide. Whether through interviews, speaking engagements, or collaborations, Michael's insights and passion for mental health advocacy promise to leave a lasting impact on your audience and community.

I honestly don't know how authors especially first-time authors can afford to get their work published. Even going the route of self-publishing is expensive. I was crunching numbers and shocked by what my out of pocket was going to be. Not including trying to regain or even make a profit. I can understand why so many people go through traditional methods of publishing, which even then can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. 

This will not discourage me, but what it has done is open my eyes to a whole industry that I never thought that much about. I honestly just thought it was a one and done type thing, not realizing all the things that actually go into it. So, in that regard I'm thankful, because I always love learning new things. And it also has provided me with a drive to prove to myself that I can get it done.

I will say this, the $20 laptop that I picked up at a thrift store, really has gotten its workout. As I am typing this, I'm using it. It has become my main office computer, and will probably continue to be just for work, like my other laptop was meant to be, but ended up being a catch all for everything I did. I don't know what the difference is between the two of them except that I think the thrift store one, though older, is just more of a workhorse than my newer one. 

Hurry up and wait. It seems like that is the theme of the last few weeks. I knew that getting the manuscript wrote was going to be one of the biggest hurdles to get over, but I never anticipated the waiting game. Not having things within my control and having to wait on others to get them done is a new experience for me, especially when it comes to one of my projects.

Sitting here at my keyboard pounding out this blog post is keeping my fingers busy because the tapping, the rain tinkling on my roof, the glugging of the clogged downspouts, the constant stream of cars with their wet tires driving up and down the street, and the hum of the computer fan, is all producing the most amazing dopamine right now. 

I have other things that I could be doing, other unfinished works that I could be fleshing out while I am sitting here on this cold Pacific Northwest midwinter day. But instead, I'm keeping myself busy with the uncontrollable deluge of what-ifs. I'm in contact with Denning Software and Digital Marketing Services Group about the possibility of a new website, and the flow of email's between us, has given me some pause in my day. I love the website that I currently have for Carpe Diem Scroto, but I also feel like it is somewhat lacking. Though again this is probably just my idle time and wanting to keep creating. 

 Well, I came across a small Indy publishing company called Spectrum Books that publishes LGBTQ authors. I'm not sure if my book nor its premise will fit with their company, but I thought that I would submit a request to see if they bite or not. I'm not sure if I will even be able to afford to work with them, but everything that I read on their site seems promising and like it would be a company that I would like to work with. If not for Carpe Diem Scroto, then for one of my short story/novels that I have been working on in tandem with CDS. 

But for now, I am still just pouring my heart and soul into this book. I also talked to a marketing company called Digital Marketing Services Group who may be revamping the website and helping with some other things. And I am really looking forward to my meeting with Live Free Productions coming up on the 19th of March, to go over crowd funding and community promotional ideas, and a few other key points.

So, all in all things are moving in the right direction, and I feel like I'm getting some traction, I am just hoping that I am able to pull this all together by the end of September so that I can have everything submitted to the publishers or uploaded to Amazon/Barnes and Noble in time for the publishing in November.

Whenever someone sits down to start writing, the amount of static in their mind is sometimes deafening. You have some many different ideas and things that you just want to get out from your brain to the paper. You begin to write feverishly in hopes of making sense the jumble of words, concepts, and ideas that are rolling around your head. 

But what no one talks about are the "quite times" when you have just gone on a caffeine fueled spree and written several pages and you sit back and catch your breath. Those golden moments where the dopamine is flooding your system, and everything feels surreal.  Then the intrusive thoughts come creeping in. The darkness of your own mind, playing tricks on you. Making you start to second guess every single syllable that you just typed for a full hour or two. Making you start to think about the what if's and the rabbit hole of self-doubt and every negative thing that has ever been said about you or your efforts trying to make some sense of your existence.

That is also why Carpe Diem Scroto is such a passion project of mine. Because I know that I am not the only person out there struggling with depression and dealing with mental health issues. But I also know how lonely it can be, because we tend to isolate to keep ourselves from "infecting" others. And well the whole stigma behind mental health. Which is one thing that I have to say that I appreciate about the Millennials is their openness about their mental health and being advocates for improvement and change. 

So while I sit here writing this and putting off any other editing work that I need to do with the book and some tweaks I need to make to the website, I'm just enjoying the quite time, and trying not to allow the intrusive thoughts to take hold and enjoy the beauty of a cold winter afternoon.

Please take some time to go check out the website and the instagram account and also join the facebook page too. And show your support by liking and commenting on my pictures and sharing with your friends and family. And if you would like to become a sponsor then please consider doing so by checking out the sponsorship tiers on the site.