The Flying Monkeys Are Coming!

Be prepared, the flying monkeys are coming!

Tea & Tidings newsletter flew out overnight to subscribers – with new info, upcoming event dates and an unpublished short story.

#newsletter #writing #deptofcuriosities

The Flying Monkeys Are Coming!

New Year. New Challenges. New Goals.

Goal #1: Getting Noticed 

This year I’m concentrating on getting my name out there… People can’t read my books if they don’t know they exist! As an indie author I have to do all my own marketing, advertising and wangling to get my name seen.  And the best way of doing this is ‘word of mouth’, reviews and recommendations.

What you can do to help:

1. Ask your library if they have my books.

South Australia: All my paperbacks are in the One Card system in South Australia. Libraries can order ebooks as well, if you recommend them. Go to their listing page and recommend they buy a copy!

Outside SA: just ask your library if they can order in my books (via Ingram Spark distribution).

2. BOOKTOPIA FAVOURITE AUSSIE AUTHOR POLL IS BACK!

Feel free to nominate me as your favourite Australian author on the Booktopia annual poll, 2019.  Here’s how:

• Fill in the form on the Booktopia page (one point for nomination),


• buy one of my books (for five points towards nomination). If you live in Australia, you can also enter their competition when you do so!

The top 50 authors will go into the poll!

3. Feel free to Share:

Worldwide: Tell others about me, Viola and Aunt Enid. It’s simple. Here’s a few other ways to share the love:

• invite me to write a guest blog post for your blog (or mention me in a blog post)


• tag me on social media:
  
  twitter: @kjcarlisle FB: @Karen J Carlisle  Instagram: @karenjcarlisle


• write an honest review on Amazon, Smashwords, Goodreads (authors love reviews. They make our day!)


• recommend my books to a friend. (Or buy one as a birthday present!)


• Share my webpage www.karenjcarlisle.com

Even the smallest thing can help to spread the word.

Meet me in person: Upcoming events so far.

I’ve started to fill up my event schedule for 2019. (Patreon supporters will have the opportunity to collect certain higher level rewards at these times.) So far I’ve confirmed:

• February: Steampunk Hands Across the World. Theme: ‘This is me.’


• 30 May – 3rd June: I’m going on a trip. Watch this space!


• 1-3 November: Adelaide Supanova. Come and find me in the Indie Press Zone of the Artist Alley. I’ll have the first of a new book series (Department of Curiosities), as well as Aunt Enid Mysteries and Viola Stewart books, mugs and badges.

I’m also working out costings for another interstate event later in the year, so watch this space!

New Year. New Challenges. New Goals.

Tea & Tidings January Reboot is on its Way

Hi to my subscribers.

First: a massive apology for the wrong link in the newsletter sent out last night. I’d mistakenly linked an article meant for a true crime writer friend of mine. That’s what happens when I do things in the wee hours.

The corrected copy of the newsletter is winging its way to you, right now!

Look out for: Tea and Tidings, January 2019 LINK CORRECTION copy of my newsletter.

And thank you for your understanding

-Karen J

Tea & Tidings January Reboot is on its Way

My Patrons got Character Naming Rights Today!

Hi Readers,

Today my Patreon supporters received:

• a rundown on the current state of rewrites for The Department of Curiosities: For the Good of the Empire,


• oggled some exclusive pics,


• a few minor story spoilers,


• found out how to get ARCs of DOC,


• got naming rights on a character


• advance notice of an upcoming event


• and an exclusive preview excerpt from the latest rewrites of the novel…’

Not bad for a start to the new year.

You can join them in discovering more about my books, writing, videos and follow my progress on various projects – just click here to support me and earn my eternal gratitude!

Patreons got Naming Rights Today!

Booktopia Favourtie Aussie Author Poll is Back!

This year I’m trying to get my name out there…

Here’s one way!

Feel free to nominate me as your favourite

Australian author on the Booktopia annual poll, 2019.

Fill in the form on the Booktopia page (one point for nomination), buy one of my books (for five points towards nomination). The top 50 authors will go into the poll!

Feel free to share!

Booktopia Favourtie Aussie Author Poll is Back!

Don't hit yourself on the way out, 2018!

It’s been a… complicated 2018. 

There was  the good:

• Aunt Enid was fun to write. It reminded me of many, many wonderful childhood memories


• and I finally got hold of my great aunt’s lemon butter recipe!


• I attended Melbourne Supanova for the first time…  Road trip! with three fellow authors, Matt, Kylie and Katie.


• Just broke even for both Melbourne and Adelaide Supanova. (yeah!) 


• I wrote my first song for an Aussie steampunk band, The Littmus Steampunk Band – The Gadgeteer – which was released on their CD, Left Foot Forward.


• Had a short story published in the anthology, Deadsteam.


• Our offspring graduated from high school. Huzzah! and is contemplating an art career. (buy her stuff, it’s fantastic!)


• I got some fantastic book reviews


• Met Gillian from Sydney steampunk band, Sideshow Annie, and met Pete and Kat from Unorthodox  Society for the Elucidation of Retro-Futurism


• had social media posts liked by Tara Moss (my hero), Gail Carriger (another hero) and some other fave actors.


• my Patreon page went live this year and I got my first Patreon supporters


• I finished 95 projects this year (I was aiming for 99)


• crocheted several items and learned new stitches


• I completed 2.5 book trailers, and got to work with garden gnomes and met lovely staff at the Largs Pier Hotel.


• did five author talks/workshops this year, including a parasol duelling demo.


• attended some fun steampunk events with friends.


• booked our holiday for next year. First one since 2008.

The bad:

• officially diagnosed with PTSD, and high functioning anxiety, so could work on new techniques to help and not waste my time doing general therapies which have done nothing in the past five years. So, in the end, this was really a good thing.


• still haven’t found that magic bullet to stop anxiety attacks.


• too many panic attacks.


• No gardening done this year due to 3 months of chronic bronchitis.


• I’ve forgotten to keep my ‘thankful jar’ up-to-date and, as a result, have forgotten too many great little things that cheered me us this year.


• discovered I’m allergic to another antibiotic.


• Stephen Hawking died this year.


• Quentin Kenihan died. (friend of my Dearheart’s)

and the ugly:

• the fight with my insurance company continued. This has dragged me down, making it hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel… It’s been four years! Just last month the situation came to a head and – thank God – was resolved before I had to end up in court or appear on shady tv current affairs shows.
  
  So, that was good in the end, as well. I’m hoping I can start healing. Finally.

Personally, I’ll be glad to see the back of this year.

Good riddence, 2018!

and…

Hello, 2019.

Happy New Year everyone.

Let’s make it a good one!

Don't hit yourself on the way out, 2018!

Merry Christmas, One and All.

 See you next year.

Merry Christmas, One and All.