Notes from an author's month

While my life is rather low key—no jumping out of supersonic airplanes, no paparazzi chasing me on the freeways, no glamorous appearances at Fashion Week—I’ve had a lot going on lately, so I thought I’d share.

Being an author means juggling a lot of balls. Usually, I’m publicizing the current book in my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries, reading proofs or making revisions on the last manuscript, and starting work on the next book. That’s certainly been the case recently.

This past month, I started on book number 12 in the series. That’s a lot of characters to track, including their marriages and the upcoming births of their babies. I have to update the ages of their children from past books, as well. Those kids grow way too fast, just like real kids.

So it was good news when my editor emailed to say book number 11, His Baby Dream, doesn’t need revisions (it’s due out next June, following The Baby Jackpot in March). That would mean stopping for a few days or more, which breaks the momentum. Instead, I can go full speed ahead.

Meanwhile, I’ve been keeping up to date with posts on my Facebook fan page, JacquelineDiamondAuthor. While I feel rather obscure as I sit at my computer, I’m attracting Likes from around the globe. I’m astonished at how many people, men as well as women, read my books as far away as India, Turkey, Egypt and even the Republic of Mauritius, which in case you’re wondering is an island 500 miles east of Madagascar (I looked it up).

Then there’s my “other” publishing job, revising and updating older books to which I’ve regained the rights, and posting them as ebooks. I’m working hard on my Photoshop skills, since I enjoy creating my own covers. I’m now on the third cover for my revised Old Dreams, New Dreams, and I like this one the best.

In fact, Old Dreams, New Dreams is my November 99-cent special on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I decided to start offering a different book for 99 cents each month. That way, hopefully, readers, will visit my website or Facebook page regularly to discover the latest bargain. Plus at that price, people might try a mystery or science fiction novel or offbeat romance that they wouldn’t sample otherwise.

One more piece of news: an editor for an upcoming anthology, The Mammoth Book of Medical Romances, emailed and invited me to write a short story. The book will be published next year, and I’ve decided to do it. What better way to reach new readers?

And so, as November starts, I have a long list of projects to tackle. But there’s nothing I’d rather be doing!

Jackie's Facebook page

Jackie's website