I am very pleased with reader reviews of Charlie No Face so far. Yesterday a book blogger posted a very positive review. Take a look:
http://babs - worldofbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/new - review - charlie - no - face - by - david.html Yesterday I also had my first reading (our local retired teachers’ organization) which went very well. I was pleased with the selections I chose; people enjoyed it and I sold some books, which is always nice.
The next big event is on Monday March 21 at 7pm. I will have a reception/reading/signing at Lift Bridge Book Shop (45 Main St., Brockport, NY). They’ve hosted similar events for my first two novels, so I am eager to work with them again. You are all invited. I will be meeting with a book group on Mar 28. I will have another reading at the Ogden Farmer’s Library in Spencerport, NY on Monday Apr 4 at 7pm (269 Ogden Center Road). I will be in central Pa. for a book group appearance on Saturday Apr. 9.
On Saturday May 14 I will be doing a reading at the Ellwood City (Pa.) Public Library. I am especially looking forward to this, since Ellwood is both my home town and the setting for Charlie No Face. The local paper will also do a story.
Working with my current publisher, I have learned a lot about grassroots promotion of a book. Some days I spend 6 - 8 hours on my computer getting the word out, applying for book contests and festivals and answering emails. I’m trying to update my website more often (www.davidbseaburn.com) and am trying to become more sophisticated at using Facebook and Twitter.
I must admit that the time I spend promoting Charlie No Face as compared to writing itself is about ten hours to one. Nevertheless I am making excellent progress on the new novel, Chimney Bluffs, which as some of you know is based on an incident that occurred in England about two years ago when a young boy died. His parents were so grief stricken that they jumped to their deaths from a famous cliff. Perhaps more startling was that they were found with two sacks beside them - - - one had the body of the little boy and the other had his toys. I couldn’t shake this story from my mind and began to wonder about two things - - - How could such a decision make sense to those who made it? What would have happened if one of the parents had survived the jump? Chimney Bluffs tells that story. Many of you may know the state park, Chimney Bluffs, on Lake Ontario, with its tall spires and cliffs. That is the setting.
As of this writing, I am 70,000 words and 244 pages into the story. My best guess is that I have about 50 - 60 pages to go. I am starting to feel what then end itself will be, although its actual form isn’t clear quite yet. It will be soon, I’m sure.