Starting to get more feedback from people who have or are reading the book and it is all positive. Most comment that they agree with the sentiments Manny expresses and know others feel the same. If only I can get a reviewer on The Australian or one of the major TV programmes to see that the book is relevant to a social issue that is worth discussing, Still, it's early days and I am plugging away. My local bookstore has taken six copies with a promise to take more if they sell and a local newsagent has done the same. Going to see a second newsagent tomorrow, having left a copy for the manager to look at, I've been interviewed by a reporter from a local newspaper and when that article appears I'm hoping it will generate some demand, It would be nice of course if some big publishing company was doing all this for me.

My first feedback from someone who is reading my book came from my grandson Bradley who is five chapters into it. His comments were that he and his partner, Danielle, agree with Manny's views on male/female relationships and that he particularly likes the way I show Manny's inner thoughts. This is very reassuring and particularly when it comes from a young man. I had imagined my readers mainly to be older women. If I can find a strong readership in Bad and Danielle's age group that would be excellent, I have now sold nine copies and more than twenty have been sent to family, potential reviewers and libraries. Hopefully that will produce some reviews on the Kobo website and Amazon, when the book is uploaded there. There is no sign of it so far but I'm told it can take a while. If I can get ten favourable reviews other web sites will take it up and promote it. Meanwhile I'm going back to Why Murder A Grandmother? I've got some ideas on how the story is going to develop in a way which will make using Tom and Joan as the povs work better.

Holding the first copy of A New Era for Manny Youngman in my hand was one of the greatest feelings I have experienced. At last I have done it. I have a book with my name on it to show for all my years of writing and being rejected. OK so I had to publish it myself but that didn't diminish the feeling.
The first sale came as soon as I posted the news on the Rockingham Writers Centre Facebook page. Then Bec's friend Leslie came round to buy a copy and yesterday I sold four more at the ukulele group, with orders for at least two more. I also have two invitations to talk about the book - one to the local Probus group and another to the Donnybrook Writers Group.
AND the book is on Kobo as an e-book selling at $4.99. I haven't found it anywhere else, particularly on Amazon which I am told has the most sales, but I assume it is just taking its time.
I have also sent lots of copies to friends, so the first box of 25 is severely depleted. It will empty even more today when the family arrive for a lunch-time launch.
I have a marketing plan but had to hold off until it was somewhere as an e-book. I certainly don't want to be spending a lot of time mailing copies to people as direct sales. Also, an e-book is much more accessible to potential reviewers. Now I can get out there and start promoting it,
As far as I know, no-one has actually read it yet, so I can't tell what the reaction is. I dread the thought that people won't say anything - which will probably mean they hated it and don't want to tell me.
Too late now. It's out there.