So far, so good…

Well, the first day of 2009 hasn’t been too bad. I’ve sold three copies of Mortal Touch today, one paperback and two Kindle editions! Total sales ticked up for December, too. Mortal Touch has been out for 17 months and sales are chugging right along, getting stronger rather than flagging.

I just got another five-star review on Amazon–from Harriet Klausner. Ms. Klausner is an extremely prolific reviewer who was actually profiled in Time magazine a couple of years ago. I tried to get in touch with her last year when I was sending Mortal Touch out for reviews, but I couldn’t find solid contact information for her and I’m not sure I reached her. Evidently, Mortal Touch finally sailed into her radar screen, because just before the ice storm she e-mailed me asking for a review copy. I sent one out just before the holidays. She’s already put her review on Amazon! I’m not sure where else it might appear, her reviews tend to pop up all over the place. But that makes eight reviews on Amazon now, all five stars.

I recently sent a PDF out to another reviewer who asked to see it, as well, so I hope I’ll have another new review before too long. Meanwhile, I have three reviews to write and get up on Blogcritics!

I tried a culinary experiment: cheesecake without sugar, refined grains or corn syrup. I used Neufchatel cheese and honey, and for the crust I crushed some reduced-fat Triscuit and mixed the crumbs with melted butter, honey and cinnamon. The cheesecake came out really well! Spongier and a little more “custard” flavored than your classic New York cheesecake, but extremely tasty. Recipe on request if anyone is curious.

I actually got an e-mail from Dad! I’m stunned! The last e-mail he sent me is dated May 14, 2008! That clinches it–2009 really is going to be different! *g*

Just to balance things out, I gained a whole 1.2 pound yesterday (drinking white zinfandel wine and eating too many tortilla chips and cheddar cheese 🙁 ), it’s just as bitterly cold tonight as last night–but at least the wind is dying down–I discovered that two squash in my fridge have spoiled, and I finally learned that I did not win the Massachusetts Center for the Book award for 2007. That was the very last contest entry I hadn’t heard about. Oh, well! I may not bother with any more of these contests, their impact on sales seems dubious. No one’s opinion really matters but that of my readers, bottom line! Therefore, the only promotional efforts that are worth doing are the ones that my readers actually see. At least Mortal Touch is on the “census” of Massachusetts-related books for 2007, and it isn’t that long a list. In fact, I’m first on the list because it’s alphabetical by author’s last name.

I hope everyone has been having a relaxing New Year’s Day. Aside from going out to shovel snow, haul in firewood and get the newspaper in a wind chill of -5 degrees (brrrrrrr!!!!), I have! Except that now I need to quit procrastinating and go do a workout. I’m trying to find a treadmill free or cheap because I’m bored to death with the exercycle. January 1st, unfortunately, is not the best time to look for exercise equipment!