Encounter on the Platform - A Short Story

A small moment, waiting for a train, in the cold at Bedminster Station today sparked this story. 

Small stories are everywhere... 

 

  

Encounter on the Platform 

I love these crisp, still, winter mornings… leaving the house in the dark, not so much.

    As I make my way across the platform to claim a seat in the shelter, there’s only a scattering of people at this quiet, suburban station at such an ungodly hour. 

    Just as my spot on the bench warms up, I’m forced to shuffle over and make room for one more. A small woman, she’s dressed head to toe in black, hooded by a chunky knitted hat, face pallid in the blue light of approaching dawn.

    She sits close, so close we share the same pocket of icy air. She reaches down into her ample handbag. I expect her to take out a phone - all the other commuters are in their e-bubbles - instead, she takes out a small, battered, hardback book. Curious, I peer over her shoulder. The typeface cramped on the tissue paper thin pages. 

    Psalms.

    Her lips flutter as she absorbs and silently recites the words. She raises her eyes ahead to the tree-line, my gaze follows. 

    A watercolour wash of pink seeps up the trunks. 

    She drops the book into her bag, an urgency in the motion. Next, she takes out a small tube of what looks like hand cream. I notice the number 50 shouting from the label. 

    She squirts a liberal dollop of the cream into her hand and fiercely rubs it onto her cheeks, along her neck, and over her hands, coating every inch of her exposed flesh.

    The rails rattle and whirr, lights slowly swell on the horizon. Phones are stowed, seats abandoned, what seemed like a sparse gathering of passengers, morphs into a thick snake along the yellow line.

    The lady in black gets up and lifts her bag. It’s only then I notice she’s dropped the bookmark from her New Testament. I bend down to pick it up.

    “Excuse me?”

    She turns, our eyes connect.

    “You dropped this!”

    I hold out the bookmark, blink twice, not sure I’ve read the logo on the bookmark correctly: ‘Nosferatu Anonymous’.

    She thanks me with a nod, a soft smile drawing her lips away from startlingly serrated teeth.

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A bumper crop of idea-ism...

This week is a bumper crop of tips and ideas! I've just returned from holiday and I'm behind with updates, so this week I have 14 steps to share with you for:

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming a Successful Author 

Action 1:
I've been talking to bands, caterers and theatre groups and added an update to the crowdfund website:


https://www.fundsurfer.com/pies-music-and-other-consumables

Action 2:
The second edition of The Bronze Box is now complete and is the version that will be available through the crowdfund:

https://www.fundsurfer.com/project/independently-publishing-solomons-secrets-event

Pledge now to be the first to get it - when it comes out!

The First Edition of The Bronze Box will no longer be available so if you want to own a book that will soon be rare, get in there quick.

Original, first edition cover

First Edition - Get it while you can

Action 3:
This is what the new book will look like

Second edition cover art

I'm tempted to add the Epilogue to this update but wouldn't want to set loose a spoiler, so here's a tiny bit of it...

The Bronze Box, Epilogue sample

Action 4:
I'm setting up some meetings with some bands. This week I'm meeting Evie Woods - here's her awesome music:

https://soundcloud.com/eviewoodsband

Action 5:
I sent Word documents of The Bronze Box and Solomon's Secrets to the theatre producer I'm using, Byron Mondahl and highlighted a couple of passages that can be scripted for the actors to perfrom. Here's a teaser:

Script extract from Solomon's Secrets

Actions 6 & 7:

I've written full character profiles for Tom and Sasha to help the actors out

Action 8:
The Solomon's Secrets event is now listed on several event listings sites

Here it is on Skiddle:
http://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Bristol/Averys-Wine-Cellars/Solomons-Secrets/12184668/

Actions 9 & 10:
I've printed some sample leaflets for Solomon's Secrets with a few short chapters and blurb.
I've left them on trains, in aeroplanes and in a few bars and cafes in Lisbon, Porto and Madrid

Action 11:
I sent press releases to several local publications. An article was printed in the Wellington Weekly News.

I grew up in the small town of Wellington in Somerset, but the paper came out when I was away and the article is not on their website, so I'm hoping my dad has picked up a copy. If he has, I'll post it on here.

Action 12:
Knowing that I'd be away and not regularly online, I scheduled in lots of tweets before I went  to keep up the momentum for the crowdfund.

Action 13:
One of my beta readers has bought back a copy of Solomon's Secrets and I've started my re-edits. I'm waiting for feedback from several others.

Action 14:
Like most writers, once I've written the first draft of a book I'm already thinking about the next one. Being on holiday gave me the space to take a notebook and start writing passages for the next book, Gabriel's Game. Here's a teaser:

Extract from Gabriel's Game

Hopefully some of the actions I've taken in the past couple of weeks will give you some ideas and inspiration...

What marketing tips would you offer to a writer 

trying to build their platform? 

Crowdfunding, Spreadsheets, Videos and Golden Gifts

I'm struggling to identify seven individual actions this week for

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Succeed as an Author

I've been putting lots of time and energy into my crowd funding pitch so most of my actions are related to that.

I've made enquiries with Silverwood Books who are a publisher in Bristol that work with authors to self publish. If I publish Solomon's Secrets with them, their package would give me more scope and support than going it alone, but I would also have to sell around double the number of copies of Solomon's than I have of The Bronze Box to get my money back and start making a profit. I would like to support them, my Fundsurfer pitch is all about supporting Bristol businesses after all!

I need to give it some thought. When I launch the Fundsurfer pitch, I think I'll see how well it does and see what budget I'll have.

I've been sketching images of characters, I never ended up using them in the pitch but here's one of Jon Solomon:

I put together a spreadsheet of all the rewards for pledging. 

The idea of crowd funding is that you pledge an amount and get a reward in exchange. 

My rewards start with £1 for a thank you, signed copies of books, being mentioned in the acknowledgements right up to being the guest of honour at the launch event.

I've spent hours uploading my list of rewards and creating appropriate images for them. One of the rewards is two eBooks and here's the image for it

I've enlisted the help of my long suffering and very lovely husband Graham with editing the video for the pitch and here's what we've come up with so far

Watch the video pitch here: http://bit.ly/1pzz4X3

I've been industriously adding progress updates to my Facebook Author Page, including the video: https://www.facebook.com/AmyCFitzjohn

The only actions this week not related to my crowd finding pitch have been going to a couple of business events.

I went to a 'Start Up Scale Up' event. I was there on one of my non working days as, Amy Morse Freelance Writer, but within seconds I became Amy from Outset Bristol when I got caught up chatting to clients and connections from work, I'm too well known in the Bristol Business Community for Outset and I'm struggling to break down that barrier that I'm also a Freelance Writer.

Help! Any advice?

I did some networking at an event at M Shed,  'An Evening with Deborah Meaden' in aid of Above and Beyond Golden Gift Appeal.

Deborah was brilliant, really inspiring and engaging and the charity is such a great cause.

Above and Beyond, go 'above and beyond' what the NHS is able to fund in Bristol's hospitals, by improving the care environment for patients and their families. With the NHS's limited funds, they understandably have to priroitise clinical care, but the path to recovery is more than just the right medicine and equipment, it's also important to be in a comfortable and healing environment - hospital's don't have to be depressing places that stink of chemicals.

I'd like to support the charity in the future and I'm already thinking about an event, perhaps involving Southville Writers.
 
I'm must be a crazy person, I'm in the middle of one project and already thinking about the next one!

How do you manage and prioritise your projects?

Marketing your book is like making a pizza and other stories...

There have been some traces of spring in the air in Bristol this week and it's starting to feel like one chapter is coming to an end in my life and another is starting to bud. 

With still no concrete assurances of further funding for Outset Bristol, where I work as an Enterprise Coach with start ups, I'm willing March to be over so I can start making some future plans.

Operation Author - 

365 Actions to Succeed as an Author

I never grow tired of seeing my words in print, which is probably a good sign that I should focus my energies into carving some sort of a path for myself as a writer.

My career has always involved supporting others to find and nurture their skills and strengths, whether in finding work or starting a business, and I have always got a great deal of satisfaction out of enabling others. I'm working towards some blending of the these two aspects that I'm so passionate about. I am a great believer that strengthening communities and enabling people to support each other is the future.

My actions this week have been:

Action 1:

I ran a pilot 'Why Marketing your Book is Like Making a Pizza: A Workshop for Writers' session, which of course included pizza!

There were eight of us on the session and it was a great success. Loads of energy in the room and lots of great ideas flowing. The feedback was positive and I discussed some ideas with the group about running a session on Social Media for Writers and a follow up session to the marketing one where we share our progress and draw up future actions plans together. 

My work with Outset over the past few years has shown me the power of peer support and it's something I want to do more of.

Action 2:

I've agreed to be part of a blog tour so I will be posting my link in that chain next week but I am seeking 2 other writers who would like to participate...

Action 3:

Calling all writers! - Who'd like to be involved in a blog tour?

The idea is that on your blog you answer 4 questions about your own writing then post bios of 3 more writers and links to their blogs. They then do the same, posting answers to the same questions on their blog a week later and sharing 3 other writers blogs.

Tweet me if you'd like to be involved @TomCatDesigns and I'll send you more details.

Action 4:

I joined Authonomy and posted some chapters from the Bronze Box 

Action 5:

I've helped some other writers with their market research this week by answering their questions. Viv Oyolu, the fabulous lady who interviewed me recently, is researching some ways her Audiobyte business can support writers.

Here's the interview if you missed it. It's a really inspiring listen with lots of tips and friendly banter:

 http://www.audio-byte.co.uk/amy-morse/

Action 6:

I am now officially a columnist for Prowess Women in Business - http://www.prowess.org.uk/columnists - so I am committed to writing for them regularly. I've just submitted another article so look out for that one.

Action7:

I've submitted a guest blog to a fellow Bristol writer and friend of mine, Maggie James. Maggie is a very talented and prolific writer of psychological suspense fiction. 

Fingers crossed she likes my post and publishes it on her fascinating blog: http://www.maggiejamesfiction.com/blog.html


Update on the next book - Solomon's Secrets:

I've got two chapters to go on Solomon's Secrets so I'm hoping to get the first draft done this week.

I've been thinking about cover art for my books and have engaged the services of my brother who's a very talented artist and musician. I've been doodling myself too, looking ancient symbolism. 

Here's a snippet from the book and a doodle:

Call for Guest Blogs on Marketing for Writers

March already! I can hardly believe it. It's the start of the third month of my Operation Author project.

Operation Author - 

365 Actions to Succeed as an Author

I'm tackling this weeks update a little differently because I'd really like some comments, contributions and feedback.

Calling anyone who would like to guest blog on marketing for writers - get in touch by tweeting me: @TomCatDesigns

This week my seven actions have been a mixture of marketing and creating:

Action 1: 
I'd like to feature some guest blogs from other writers and creatives with tips to offer on marketing and promotion - Anyone game?

I've picked up lots of ideas from this great blog by John Kremer

Action 2:
I hosted an event at The Hyrda Bookshop in Old Market, Bristol. There is a prize draw in the shop until end of March to win a signed copy of The Bronze Box

If you're in Bristol drop in and support one of the few independent bookshops left - they do great coffee: www.hydrabooks.org

The cake and bubbly went down very well!

This is my little display:

Action 3:
The Bronze Box was reviewed by Bookmuse - I'm really pleased with what they had to say - http://bit.ly/1kpIyhq

'...for a debut novel, this was a huge achievement. I’d recommend 

this to anyone with the same interests as mine looking for a new 

name in high-octane thrillers.' :)

Action 4:
I've got a mixed bag of Amazon reviews, so my next action is to ask if you've read it, I'd like to hear what you think. It all helps to encourage me and help me to improve my writing craft. Thanks

Action 5:
I filled in and sent off interview questions to Linda Parkinson-Hardman for the Thursday Throng feature on her blog. Look out for it.

Action 6:
I have recruited enough people for my 'Why Marketing your Book is Like Making a Pizza: A Marketing Workshop for Writers' and sending out confirmations

Action 7:
Writing more of 'Solomon's Secrets' - 10,000 words to go. I'm so close to finishing the first draft 

Feedback and comments always welcome - don't be shy, stop by and say Hi! 

E-Books, cake and flights of fancy... Operation Author, 365 actions

It's week 7 of my operation author project:
 

Operation Author - 

365 Actions to Succeed as an Author

My first action is to put a call out...

I'd really love to hear from anyone who blogs about books or is happy to review books.  

A free e-book in exchange for a review anyone?

With no news in my day job about whether our project to support start ups in Bristol will continue from April, we're now all in redundancy consultations. 

I'm trying not to let it be too depressing and see it as an opportunity to follow my dreams to earn a living through writing and supporting others with their creativity.  The trouble is, my dreams are still just flights of fancy and a month is not enough time to turn them into something tangible!

It's somewhat ironic that the only comprehensive free support for new businesses is Bristol, Outset Bristol, is in danger of closing resulting in at least one of it's staff considering self employment as their favoured option?!

I've been working frantically to have something to launch with if the worst should happen. It's exhausting!

This week, my writing platform endeavours have been:

Day 2 - I followed up a contact that a colleague gave me and found this really great blog:

http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/11/13/101-book-marketing-ideas-for-authors/

Thanks  Linda Parkinson-Hardman

 

My next action is to follow up her invitation for an interview.  Look out for it...

Day 3 - I've been making up marketing material for the events I have coming up.  Thanks to the creative talents of Graham Morse - here's a flyer for the workshop I'm running on Wednesday 5th March - 'Why Marketing your Book is Like Making a Pizza: A Marketing Workshop for Writers'

I'm both excited and nervous about doing the workshop.  I really want it to be a success.

Day 4 - I entered The Bronze Box into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.  Wish me luck, it's the first competition I've entered for my writing :-S

Day 5 - I have had another article published in Prowess 2.0: Women in Business.  

I really enjoy business writing, it fits so seamlessly with my day job experience and my love of writing.  It's something I'd like to do more of.  

Can anyone suggest any leads or contacts for me? 

I'm really passionate about supporting independent business and especially underrepresented groups in enterprise, one of which is women.  I'm keen to guest blog, write articles, speak at events etc.

The last couple of days of this week I've been preparing for the book event I'm hosting at The Hydra Bookshop in old market, Bristol on Saturday 22nd Feb from 4pm to 6pm.

I've made up some flyers for Solomon's Secrets to display at the event:

Yesterday I made an epic and absurdly chocolaty fridge cake for the event. Here's the Recipe:

2 x small value Madeira Cakes 

8 x large bars of milk chocolate - the better quality the nicer the cake (I really hate cooking chocolate)

1 x grab bag of Malteasers

4 bags of Milky-bar buttons

4 generous Tablespoons of butter

couple of handfuls of chopped nuts

couple of handfuls of raisins

a few handfuls of mini marshmallows 

Crumble the cake into a big mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter.  Stir the chocolate into the cake. Stir in the Milky-bar buttons and allow them to melt a little in the warm chocolate for a marbled effect.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Turn the mix out onto a large baking sheet lined with foil or cling film. Compact the mix into the tray to form a block. Refrigerate overnight then cut into squares.

I decorated it with bronze sugar spray and gold sugar balls before cutting it up.

I'll be giving away the squares at the book event so if you are in Bristol, UK come and get some.

 

What else do you think I could do this week to reach out to more people?