It’s Been A Year
Boy, has it ever.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the publication of Keep Moving, Keep Shooting. So many things have transpired in the last year, it’s really difficult to keep track. Back then, I was just proud that I published a novel. I knew it was a financial investment on my part, but I really was satisfied with being able to say I was “A published author”. That didn’t last long.
I wanted to make enough money to make back my investment in the co-publishing venture with Koehler Books. I did the math, or what I thought was the math, on how many copies of each kind it would take to make my investment back. I would have been happy with that, but that didn’t last long either.
After I started getting feedback from more and more readers, I wanted more from KMKS. I wanted to sell enough copies to trigger the clause in my publishing contract to allow me to publish the sequel. Yes, there is a sequel. That used to be a secret, but not anymore. There is also a third book completed. That isn’t a secret either.
I knew I needed to up my game, but really had no idea what I was doing. I dabbled in a few things, like this blog. In fairness, the blog started months before the book was published, but it has been the single most consistent thread through the entire endeavor. I published a handful of short stories related to Terry Davis and KMKS, revealing some backstory and expanding the story universe a little. I was a writer relying on my writing to sell more of my writing. It made sense but wasn’t making much progress.
I started appearing on podcasts even before the book was published. Dan Cianci had me on the Daily American to start his second season in a four-part interview. Little did I know that would be the first of many podcast appearances I would be making.
I have appeared as a guest on a bunch of podcasts. I was trying to remember them all last night and I know I missed a few. I appeared a few times on live radio, both as a new author and to provide some military perspective on world events. I did the same on a couple of occasions, appearing on livestream panel shows in the same capacity. A few months ago, I reached out to a friend and now I am cohosting The Elsa Kurt Show on a weekly basis. I owe a lot to Elsa for that opportunity.
I dabbled in some merchandising (insert your Mel Brooks as Yogurt voice here) of KMKS related items. I had author signed copies of the book, hats, T-Shirts, rubber band bracelets, and even some really good, branded coffee with Black Swamp Coffee Company and my buddy Bill Edgar. I was given some opportunities to do product endorsement and affiliation with Refuge Medical and MAC3 CLP. Thanks to Dawn and Bill for those opportunities. I’ve made great relationships with other folks like Shane Keng at Multitasker Tools and Tyler Ross at Condition One Cases.
I’ve been given the opportunity to get involved with some really great organizations like The Alan J. Lynch Foundation, Phantom Airborne Brigade, and The Mend the Heart Foundation/Lazy Labs Hunt Club.
Oh yeah, I also started my first Hollywood consulting job in the last few weeks. You read that right.
Did I mention I’ve been doing all this while working a full-time job? And had a daughter graduate from college and move to another continent? My son started his senior year of high school? And I still play and coach soccer? Oh yeah, and I still deal with the effects of Complex PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury on a daily basis?
Have I done all of this well? Nope. I couldn’t tell you the last time I sold a t-shirt or a bag of coffee. I haven’t been able to dedicate the time I want to some of the organizations and products that have come my way. I am still writing. I am still blogging. I am co-hosting a weekly podcast. KMKS has 100 ratings on Amazon (man, did I want to get to 100 by today). Regardless, 100 ratings…95 are 5-Stars and 5 are 4-Stars. Readers love it and they want more. 78 written reviews and NONE of them are bad. I’ll take all that.
Have I done any of this by myself? Hardly. Tons of support from family and friends, both new and old. My cheering section is big and a lot of that noise is coming from people I never imagined. I can’t thank everyone enough.
The best part of hitting this one-year anniversary is….it starts year two. I am convinced this is the year. The past year has been amazing for my own growth and understanding what I want to do and where I want to go. But this year is the year. Year two is it. The focus is getting the sequel into the publication process. I am going to need everyone’s help. There is no way I do this on my own.
Looking forward to the next one, but boy…..It’s Been A Year.