I decided more characters needed to pay the price!
Morning, folks!
My knee is still sore from my fall, and I dread this appointment. I know these people are helping me. I also know I need to go, but also that the therapist is going to say, “Let’s try bending it a little farther,” with a level of enthusiasm I find deeply suspicious. All I know is that we seem to have different definitions of a little.
Ever hear of the Zig Ziglar Parable?
There’s a parable often attributed to Zig Ziglar about an executive who gets a speeding ticket and takes his anger out on his sales manager. The manager goes home and snaps at his wife. She grounds their oldest child, who picks on the younger sibling. And with no one smaller to blame, the youngest kicks the innocent cat.
I have physical therapy today, and I feel like this but refuse to let the cat suffer. Y’all remember him, right? The demon yelling at me right now for chatting you up instead of ensuring he can’t see the bottom of his bowl. [He’s obviously pretending to be innocent in this picture, but don’t let that face fool you…] The people in my books, however… I’m coming home with a sore knee and an unfinished chapter. Somebody’s about to have a very bad afternoon.
In Better News!
Book 2 in the Year of Ruin series is officially out!
Shadows of Ruin has arrived, which means you can once again spend some quality time with me, where making things considerably worse for fictional people is my kick-the-cat frustration outlet.
And to top that! Book 3 is scheduled for the end of October. I looked at my calendar, saw a little breathing room, and immediately filled it with more devastation. Very healthy behavior (cough, cough… right).
If you’ve already started Book 2, or finished Book 1, I’d love to hear how it’s going. Keep the comments spoiler-free, though. We want everyone to experience the emotional damage firsthand.
A serious moment before I resume complaining
I want to talk about something that matters to me: supporting independent authors.
There’s a person behind all these books. Someone writing between work shifts, family responsibilities, medical appointments, kicking the cat, and whatever fresh nonsense life has dumped on the doorstep. We care about the stories we tell, and we hope they find the people who will love them.
Buying a book is wonderful. But I know budgets are tight, and you can help an author without spending a cent.
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Leave an honest review of a book you’ve read. A sentence or two is plenty. You don’t have to turn it into an English assignment.
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Tell someone about a book you enjoyed. A recommendation to a friend can mean a great deal. Seriously, you have no idea how coveted the recommending is in the marketing world. This is like the holy grail of marketers, and you can just do it because you liked a book!
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Share a release post or newsletter on social media from your favorite author (and others). Add a few words about why you’re sharing it if you feel inclined.
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Comment or reply. Tell us what you liked, ask a question, or join the conversation. It’s lovely to know someone is on the other side of the screen.
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Ask your library about an indie book you’d like to read. They may be able to borrow or purchase it.
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Follow the authors you enjoy. Subscribe to their newsletters or find them wherever you like to spend time online. (You can follow me on Amazon here)
You don’t need to do all of that. You don’t need to do any of it on command. But if a story has stayed with you, telling someone is a generous thing to do.
And if you’ve ever recommended one of mine, left a review, or sent me a message about a character—thank you. I appreciate it more than you probably realize.
Even the messages questioning my treatment of fictional people. Those are fair.
We’ve also established an apocalypse outpost on Reddit
Our apocalyptic author group now has a Reddit community! We’re making room for readers and authors to talk books, discover stories, debate survival decisions, and discuss why somebody in an apocalypse novel inevitably thinks splitting up is a good idea.
The polls are open in the Post-Apocalyptic Battle Royale on Facebook. This is one of those Go Vote for ME things, but there are others you can vote for too!
Come and join the group, introduce yourself. Readers are a big part of what makes these communities worth showing up for.
Before you go, there is a quiz: What was the first book that got you hooked on apocalyptic fiction?
Mine was Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. And look what that started. Now I destroy civilization for a living and call it a career. Hit reply to the email or leave a comment—even just the title counts. I’d love to hear yours.
Wish me luck with therapy and keep the characters (and the cat) in your thoughts.
DJ