Not a Profitable Year
With somber tidings to all, may 2022 bring us better times? We pray it does. I for one, intend on re-evaluating what I’ll be doing professionally next year. The book publishing division within Jacabo Studio is not happy with sales. And my best guess, they’ll be cutting back on advertising and investment in publishing and are refocusing on their core business: Art.
So, in 2022 I will have to put the second book in The Potter’s GraveYard Trilogy on hold for now. Fear No Evil If You Dare, the first book in the horror novels is gaining traction, since it was published in October 2021 but not enough to warrant another book for next year. Unfortunately, new “pickings” will be limited for James O. Youngcliff in the coming years.
I Guess, I’ll Be Dusting My Drawing Skills
My artistic juices want to burst and writing is not doing it for me! And so, I plan on picking up where I left off five years ago by using my pencils and charcoals to let my writing frustrations out. However, I’m not sure that will happen for my oil painting: sad but true. Oil painting takes a big chunk of inspiration and dedication, which is the only way to go, and I don’t feel it — not just yet!
Sorry, if I’ve totally depressed you by now?
A Couple of Bright Bits
My eldest boy and his family are coming to visit us for the holidays! They’re bringing my two beautiful granddaughters, both handfuls, mind you, but nonetheless wonderful news. With Covid-19 and my heavy writing schedule this and past years, we’ve cut back on the traveling and they’ve grown a lot since our last visit. So, my wife and I are preparing for their visit this month.
Which, gives me an easy segway to my next piece of news: An Artificial Christmas, my first children’s Christmas novel, is on my do list for this week. The manuscript was returned from the editor last month and it came back in bad shape. Not surprising. I jumped on this story too soon after my previous novel, in order to take advantage of my artistic high, and because of poor story planning, it is in need of changes–big changes!
I normally write down two or three-page outlines on every story I write before I sit down and start the full-length novel… This time, I didn’t. I banged on the keys and out flowed whatever…
And after re-reading the manuscript I’ve not touched in weeks, I’m now forced to sit down and fix it! Not a good practice, but hey, it is what it is, a struggle to get it out before losing all interest in the subject. I’m sure I’ve lost sales because of the delay. “But better late than never,” is all I have to add.
“…And to All a GoodNight”
That’s it for now. Please be on the lookout for An Artificial Christmas at Amazon.com/author/jamesoyoungcliff, it will make a nice Christmas Gift this season.
CYA, j.o.y.
