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Monday, January 31, 2011

A Built-In Audience?

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How is everyone? While we're at it, what happened to January? It seems to me that we were just wishing one another a Happy New Year, and suddenly it's February! Any moment now and we'll see that flowers are blooming!!

I was a bit absent last week, and I'm sorry for that. The week started off with a bang as I (and many of you) participated in the music blog-fest that was sponsored by Alex J. Cavanaugh and well attended by well over 100 bloggers. I don't know about you, but I had a wonderful time talking about music and reminiscing about old memories that the tunes conjured up. I also got to meet a whole bunch of new people, which is always fantastic. I'd like to think I made some new friends in that group. I hope so.

Unfortunately, my allergies flared up. I made it through a terribly busy week at work, but feel as if I lost a day somehow. Friday morning, I was sure that it should only have been Thursday. I love my Fridays too much to have thrown it back, however. Just sayin'.

Something potentially earth shaking did take place last Tuesday. I was interviewed by my local paper. The reporter came over to my house and stayed about an hour. The paper is a shared one, including both Kingsburg and our neighbor, Selma. We'll find out this week how well it went.

Being a local author featured in one's paper should generate some interest, right? How about if you wrote a vampire book? With a trending topic like that you'd hope that the interest would be more magnified, right? Now how about if the setting of the novel was Kingsburg? What if the action in the fictional novel took place just before the very real event of the Kingsburg Swedish Festival which I have been going to since I was a kid? How large might that interest potentially get now?

I'm not bragging or anything. I'm only saying that what might take place in the next few weeks could potentially GROW VERY BIG! I don't have any circulation numbers for you, but the combined population of these two cities is about 30,000.

I thank those of you who stopped by a few weeks ago to offer ideas and advice about what I should be doing with my new paperback. I'm doing some and thinking about doing others. We'll see which way the wind blows this coming month. I have reached out to the local Branch of our library, the large retailer in both Kingsburg and Selma, and a magazine in the much larger city of Fresno, California, which is 25 minutes away.

Rest assured that you will be amongst the first to know how the interview worked.

P.S.: You can't discern him, but my oldest son is one of those students pictured beside the headline above who are going to New York City. My wife and I are going as well. It's going to be amazing because I have never been there before. I'll be reporting back about that, too.

Take care of yourselves.

We'll talk soon.

11 comments:

  1. Congrats Jimmy! Praying for fame and fortune for you!

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  2. Congrats to you and your son. I hope you enjoy NY--and I hope it's not too cold when you get out there.

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  3. Congrats on the interview. I hope it generates lots of sales for you!

    My son also sang with his college choir at Carnegie Hall. Two years later they were asked back to sing at Lincoln Center. You just never know what will happen! And yes, we went to both concerts.

    Just be prepared - Carnegie says NO CAMERAS, but that didn't stop my husband (and other people for that matter) from taking pictures.

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  4. Congrats on the interview! Hope it turns out amazing for you. Also, NYC is fantastic. Allow the sounds, the energy to sink into your soul. That city is alive - enjoy!

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  5. Thank you, Ladies. I really appreciate you taking the time. I saw all of your notes early today from trusty iPhone, but was unable to reply until now.

    Nikki - It's just another step in Vamplit's world domination! We'll all be there to celebrate together...

    Maria - That's something we're concerned about, too. New York cold and Central California cold are two entirely different things. Lol!

    Stacy - How's that for a coincidence, huh? Thanks for the tip. My son is a Junior in high school this year and he has been so busy. He's in honor choir and honor band. He made county band and state jazz choir. He's gearing up for his third h.s. play. The list goes on and on... I'll be sending that book tomorrow...

    RaShelle - So good of you to visit and so nice to meet you. Thanks for the follow. Thanks for the advice on NYC. I'll have to let you know how it goes. It's a huge bite for me...I've been to Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada. Sad, isn't it? ;)
    Have a great week, my friends.

    -Jimmy

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  6. Congratulations on getting the newspaper interview! I'm very interested to see what works for you locally.

    And I envy you getting to go to New York. I went for the first time in July 2009, wasn't looking forward to it, but loved it. In fact, I was in severe pain from a pinched nerve and I still loved it! Loved the delis and the shwerma stands and the pizza ... I'd go back just for that. Gee, sounds like I'm food obsessed, doesn't it? :-)

    Anyway, the energy of the city is fantastic too. Even when you're drenched by rain and jump in a pedicab, only to find out three blocks later, your driver/rider doesn't speak English well and doesn't know how to get to your hotel.

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  7. Congrats! I would be so nervous!!

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  8. I will be going to NYC to, I just don't know when, and I don't have the money yet. :)

    I am severely lacking Vitamin D,so I better see some flowers soon. And if that groundhog sees his shadow- he better run!

    Have fun in NYC!

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  9. Thanks, Linda. I'm hoping it isn't one big nothing. I was reviewed in the Kingsburg High School newspaper last Easter. I was hoping that every other kid would jump on their iPhones and FB me. Didn't happen; not one. I know it was the timing of the holiday that proved bad for me. There have been some other opportunities which didn't have the affect I was looking for. I'm trying not to think about finding myself ignored tomorrow...
    Crossing my finger here that it'll be big.
    Thanks for the note.
    -Jimmy

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  10. Thanks, Hannah! I wasn't nervous until you said that! Just kidding. I'm praying that there is nothing incorrect and that it gets everyone in my area excited. It really is a built-in audience. We'll see how it goes...
    -James

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  11. Lol! Thanks, Billie. I hesitate to complain too much about the weather because it gets to be over 100 degrees in my particular neck of the woods. I hate it! Spring/Fall temps year 'round would be fine with me. Even Winter is okay. Sweating just checking the mail is no fun at all.
    See you in New York. ;)
    -James

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Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate you taking the time. I'll get back to you here or on one of the other social networks. It's not like we're not on all of them, right? ;) Also, if you're here to give me an award - bless you. However, your friendship and visits are more than enough. Thanks and blessings.