Mark Howen's Blog

"One Fool's Gold" has struck it rich, once again. The International Impact Book Awards has honored my work with a Distinguished Author Award. What a welcome gift after a rough day at work. These accolades can mean a lot for an author, not just for the ego, but also for the marketing of your book. Readers stop and notice, which is why they are important, because there are thousands of books to choose from on any given day. However, the most important reason these honors are worthwhile is because we all need to know that what we have done is worthy to some degree. We need to know we are on the right track. We know we still need work--that is part of the endless journey we are on as writers--but we need to know we are getting somewhere.

Join me from my beginnings as a writer to where I stand now as an author. The Worthy Family Saga began with “The Inherent Dangers in Digging Up the Family Tree,” where Mason Worthy seeks truths of the past, finding the past is standing right in front of him. “Requiem for the Rooster,” begins with recovery, but quickly turns to a fight to save the family, as well as the country. Now, I take a step back and offer a prequel in, “One Fool’s Gold.” Maybe going back we can understand the reasons behind Mason’s choices, as well as his father’s. What comes next? Maybe you have some Ideas.

Another recognition for One Fool's Gold! I have to admit it feels nice to have other people read and enjoy the stories you have created. Hopefully, it will encourage other people to check my stories out.

It almost feels like the Holy Grail--almost. Being recognized for your work by critical readers who are judging your work along with hundreds, even thousands of other novels is a huge step towards validation of your work. No, I didn't win the Winner Award, but One Fool's Gold did win Finalist Awards for Historic and Literary Fiction, as well as Cover Design. Hat's off to my cover designer, Niki Johnson, for her imaginative work! Entering awards is a personal choice, but highly recommended. You put your book out there for the scrutiny of dedicated readers. Yes, there is a fee, but not overly expensive in all cases. Pick and choose what is affordable. Often you can also purchase a review. These are tools to learn from, as well as a form of marketing. This is my third novel, so to have received this recognition tells me a lot about where I am as a writer. There is still much work to be done, but the path is clearer now. Still, the biggest hurdle is SALES!

I am preparing to embark on the next phase of writing a novel; promotion and marketing. In other words, the launch. Still much to do, but must align the planets and stars for favorable results. This means trusting my investment in this new offspring will reward me with bountiful reviews and sales. The questions remain; who will see the announcement, who will respond to it, will it spark an interest, and will they purchase a copy? Hopefully, they will enjoy their investment enough to review it. These are the wishes of all authors. So if you're out there, give it a look. I believe it will be worth your while. Peace.

Having just published my third novel, "One Fool's
Gold," I am now faced with the daunting adventure of promoting and marketing, As with most authors, this is not the most enjoyable part of writing, but the only thing that will hopefully insure anybody reading your books. I receive multiple emails, daily, with programs that want to help you get your book out there. They all cost a fair amount of money, and you're never sure how legit or beneficial they will be. I've been 'burned' in the past. That said, I have chosen one program that I hope will work for me, but only if I do the hard work--learn the process of self-advertising. For some, this can be easy, but for some of us not so savvy on our computers it can prove a bit challenging. Nonetheless, I am determined to do this right! In the meantime, I am receiving emails from literary agents, and a major publisher, as well as numerous pod casters, all curious about me and my work. Pretty 'heady' stuff, but must move cautiously through these shark infested waters. I'm not sure I'm the right 'fit' for a major publisher. Any Independents out there will know what I mean.