Dull miracles

I'm still shaking my head in disbelief. It seems crazy – after months of social media posts, Facebook ads, influencer promotion campaigns and BookBub ads, Shooting Stars remained lost at the bottom of the Amazon ocean, like the very imagery I used to describe Catherine's lost soul and broken heart.

Since the beginning of this year, I sold only ONE copy. I was ready to give up. As much as I love writing there seemed little point in writing another book. Certainly one doesn't write for the money, but if one has no audience then why go to all that trouble? 

Though, the real problem is not with the writing and publishing but with marketing and promotion. I'm useless at selling and self-promotion. I hate drawing attention to myself and these days promotion is all about social media presence. All the competing for attention against insta-celebrities and influencers is exhausting and frankly feels to me a lot like a popularity contest. I thought I had left that bullshit behind when I left high school. I'm a writer and have no interest in being an influencer. Why is there such a need to be both?

I was beginning to think I would only see success in life posthumously. In a moment of self-pity and self-deprecation I finally posted to a Facebook group I had recently joined, the Dull Women's Club – It was time to give up, admit defeat and accept my dullness, so I introduced myself AA-style: 

What happened next took me completely by surprise. I expected maybe a few likes, perhaps a couple of comments and for my post to be swallowed up by the cyber ether. Instead within a few hours I had amassed several hundred likes and a barrage of comments asking about my book and offering words of encouragement and support.

Before I even had a chance to respond, people had looked up my website and Shooting Stars and were sharing the information in the comments. 

Just over twenty-four hours later and the likes number over 3,300, and I've sold over 170 copies. And I've gone from Amazon's dungeon of obscurity to ranking 25th in the Romance Literary Fiction section. 

I'm gob-smacked and humbled. While I haven't had a chance to read every one of the 600+ comments, those I have read have all been kind and supportive. Not one has accussed me of whining or seeking attention or pity. Perhaps it's a dull person thing – to have empathy and compassion. If that's the case then I am truly embracing my dullness! 

To everyone who has sent words of encouragement and bought copies of my book, THANK YOU! You have no idea how much it means to me. 

Much love and kindness to you all.
Skye