New Video and News

I'm enjoying posting original song videos on YouTube and plugging my novel website at the end of each video. The above one, Do You Believe, has gotten the most hits, probably because it was a Valentine love song. I don't know if anyone will visit my website and check into the books because of these videos. It's one of those wait and see things.

The First Shall Be Last, the third novel of the Whalehead series, has gone into the hands of my two line editors, both English teachers. Rebekah, who is also my daughter, recently finished the novel and found a few mistakes. However, she said it's the best book I've written yet. That was encouraging. Once Gretchen, my other line editor finishes, I'll make the corrections in preparation for the first edition.

The Bethesda (Ohio) Book Club recently contacted me to speak at their March meeting about the first two novels in the series, The Healing Place and Murder at Whalehead. I'll be speaking to them on the evening of March 10. More details about that one later.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Outer Banks Press about the possibility of them becoming my publisher. Right now I'm self publishing through my own company, Upper Ohio Valley Books, but a few weeks back I received an email from OBX Press expressing interest. It's another one of those wait and see things.

Talk to you later,

Joe

CLICK HERE to view video trailer for Murder at Whalehead
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

News and Video

Marketing my books is challenging. Sometimes I experiment with possibilities. I decided to create a music video of an original song I wrote a few years back and post it on YouTube. The song is called "Say Goodnight." It's about what happens eventually to a lot of couples--start out as friends but with time fall in love. At the end of the video is my website address: http://www.joecellis.com.
The idea is to direct viewers to my website and info about the books.

Good news: I recently got my first check from my NC distributor, Outer Banks Press. The President, Ms. L. Lauby, is excited about the upcoming season, potential book sales, book reviews in her regional magazines, and the possibility of Outer Banks Press becoming the publisher of Murder at Whalehead. She also wants to consider becoming the distributor of The Healing Place. I'm guessing that if The Healing Place sells decently, Outer Banks Press may consider publishing it also.

Other news: This past week I made a trial copy of The First Shall Be Last (the sequel to Murder at Whalehead) at Lulu.com. It's a great site to make one or two copies of a book to pass around to your line editors and others who could help sharpen the manuscript before the actual publication. I ordered two copies at about $10 a copy. Gretchen, an English teacher where I teach, is going to do a line edit for me, and my daughter, Rebekah, will also read it over and try to catch mistakes. Both have helped with my other two novels and did a great job. I'm going to send a copy to Ms. Lauby at Outer Banks Press to see if she would be interested in distributing this newest novel.

Writers have got to keep open to all possibilities. You never know when a door might open that could improve sales or give a boost to the next level of success.

Talk to you later,

Joe

CLICK HERE to view video trailer for Murder at Whalehead
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/