So busy.  Gotta love it though.

I have to publicly apologize to my friend (and customer) Tessa Rawlinson.  We had originally hoped to have her book published in time for Christmas, and it looked like we'd make it for a while.  Then my computers started dying, and weren't fast enough to do the graphic job I wanted to do for her cover, and I had these two other design jobs that ended up sparking (another!) a complete redesign of LowGenius.Com, with all those killer CRM tools I talked about in my last post, and things just plain didn't get done in nearly the time frame I'd hoped. 

Those of you who know me personally - especially those of you who HAVE known me since I was a kid - know that I'm a voracious reader; this woman's got the goods, and I'm not just saying that because we have a personal friendship.  (Those of you who know me well know that I wouldn't do that anyway - I don't think a friend is someone that lies to you when you need to know the truth.)  Her characters are compelling, her dialogue is witty and sharp and realistic, the composition of her scenes shows the influence of her work as a life performer (singing and acting theatrically), and her overaching plot when combined with these other elements creates what is, for me, a book that is not only a fun read, but that hooks you in and makes you care about her people and want to read more about them...and that, to me, is the key measure of quality in writing.  Do I want to read more when it's over?  Am I disappointed that there's not more to read?  Do I care about the characters? 

The answer to all these questions in regards to Ms. Rawlinson's first book is a resounding yes.  It's suitable for any reader over maybe 13-15 (it gets a bit sensual in spots, and there's some violence as well - neither particularly graphic), but it's well-constructed enough to hold the interest of the adult reader as well.  Plus it's almost impossible to classify - parts romance, parts magical fantasy, parts swashbuckling pirates and swordfights, and all of it tied together with Rawlinson's sharp wit and quick dialogue.  In those two aspects, it reminds me VERY much of the Harry Potter books - it's not so bodice-ripping (or gory, or sexual) that a reasonably sane and balanced parent has to "worry" about it if their 15 year old is reading it, but it's not so "child-friendly" that adults will get bored of it.  It's a little more "adult" then the Potter books- not something you're going to want to read to a seven year old unless you intend to answer some uncomfortable questions ("Mommy, what's a courtesan?") - but ...yeah, I sound like a sales pitch and I don't mean to.  It's a quality bit of work, the title is "Bound by Vengeance," and it's gonna be available through all the usual retailers Real Soon Now.

Here's a small version of the cover graphic I designed for it:

The graphic took me about three weeks to render.  The original is 1800x1350 pixels, and at first I'd wanted to go 3600x2700 (i.e. a full cover for a book printed in 6x9 format), but I'd STILL be rendering if I'd gone that route - a lesson I did not, unfortunately, learn until several abortive attempts at the higher resolution (and a whole lot more tricks thrown in to make it look more photographic).  I've actually been doing these graphics for a long time...I should put some together and sell them for a quarter over at lowgenius.com or netograph.com or something as desktop wallpapers.

Anyway, yeah.  I'm way behind on the work I wanted to have done for her, because of all the OTHER work that I have to do, and I feel really crappy about that.  I still have to do post-production work on the cover, then get the title and the UPC and everything on it, get it integrated into the source document for the publisher, then off to the printers with it and we'll see how it looks when the proofs come back.  If the author and her editor (full disclosure:  that would be me) approve the galleys, we're on the market.  If not:  revisions and then market, but there shouldn't be much revising to do - that editor guy is a bear.  Hopefully I can break out the eight hours or so I need to do everything this weekend; I want to get this CRM tool finished so that I can manage this project (and all my other current and future projects) through it; I have a client meeting tomorrow afternoon, but I've got tonight and tomorrow morning to work on the CRM, so it should be just about finished by then.  Then hopefully I can knock out Tessa's work, and get back to wrapping up the current BIG client job, so I can get paid for that and move on to the next thing.

"The Next Thing(s)":  Getting some content on LowGenius.Com, most especiallythe user guide.  Keeping up and adding to the content here.  Getting a few dozen "templates" designed for Netograph, then making some mass-market graphics with them to get the traffic heading that way.  Getting to work on the editing for Tessa's next book (part two of the planned trilogy that BBV is part one of).  Then I'm going to start combing Craigslist for web design work here and around Kalamazoo, and start identifying and contacting potential clients up there.

HOPEFULLY I will then set up a few days' worth of meetings in Kalamazoo, get a couple new contracts, and go from there.  The idea I'm going for is to set up an ongoing, steady, small stream of income to take care of basic bills (food, shelter, clothing, 'net connection, hosting), and then take on bigger jobs for my "real money" - reinvesting in equipment (which will eventually include musical instruments at long last!), improving client services, discretionary personal income, if things go well maybe taking on a subcontractor (or if things go REALLY well, an employee!).  I've got a couple of other website ideas, as well...we'll see how those go if/when the funds are there to make them happen.

But the gist of it all is, nickle-diming my way to security while scoring 'big jobs' for professional growth and personal luxury. Considering that right now "personal luxury" includes things like...leaving the house...that should be a good balance.  Bottom line is, I need a net, and I gotta weave it myself.  That way if I go two, three months between "big jobs," I don't starve, lose my 'net connection, lose my home, get thrown in jail, etc.

Because being in jail or living in a shelter really doesn't lend itself to successful business ;-).

Other things...I find it fascinating that the highest level of traffic to this site is still for the Morrowind FPS Optmizer.  Morrowind came out eight years ago and people are still playing it - pretty ardently, if my traffic numbers are any indication.  That's pretty darned impressive, for a video game.

I guess that's about it for now.  Right now my entire life consists of this blog, and working either directly or indirectly for clients.  Other than that it's sleep and shower, and that's it.  I haven't even loaded up WoW in about three weeks.  (I need to keep that account open, too - the screenshots I can get make excellent background graphics for Netographs.)  I've spend a lot of my life looking in the wrong directions, taking the wrong advice, helping the wrong people based on the promises of undelivered returns for my work.  Now, I'm taking my own advice, working my own way, heading my own direction, and being a LOT more careful about who I'm offering free work to.  

I believe this will work better for me than my past approaches.  At any rate, if it doesn't, I'll have nobody to blame but myself...and if I am the problem, I can fix it :)

And I guess that's it for me, for now.  Hope all is well in your worlds.  Be Who You Are.